Britishvolt: Talks held with two firms over failed gigafactory site

Britishvolt had been developing a £3.8 billion gigafactory in Blyth, Northumberland

Talks have been held with two parties eyeing up the Britishvolt site after the firm collapsed, Northumberland's council leader has confirmed.

The gigafactory, in Cambois near Blyth, was to make batteries for electric cars and hoped to create 3,000 onsite jobs.

But after a string of financial blows it went into administration, with about 300 workers being laid off.

Glen Sanderson told a meeting there had been two approaches to be an alternative operator of the site.

The £3.8bn project had been delayed several times and had struggled to cope with rising costs.

Along with the 3,000 planned jobs onsite, another 5,000 were likely to be created in the supply chain, bringing a huge economic boost to south-east Northumberland and the wider North East.

The business had offered apprenticeships to students at Northumberland College, and businesses nearby had been banking on the influx of thousands of workers.

Derek Hibbert, owner of Hank Marvin Cafe, in Simpson Street, said the collapse was "absolutely devastating".

"They were going to bring so many jobs and so much footfall," he told BBC Look North.

Antony Elliott had applied for a job at the gigafactory and hoped it would have led to development

Antony Elliott, who had applied for a job at the site, said he was looking for work again.

"It was just a general operative job, I just wanted to get into the factory, you can do a lot of different jobs and be moved around and I was just wanting to get my foot in the door," he added.

Following news of the business's demise on Tuesday, Mr Sanderson, a Conservative, told a meeting of the Cramlington, Bedlington and Seaton Valley Local Area Council, interest had already been received from other parties, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

"We have had two approaches to be an alternative operator of that site," he said.

"I had a meeting with one and Rick O'Farrell [the council's interim chief executive] had a meeting with the other.

"We will look to do everything we can do facilitate that place becoming a large employer, so I can assure you that we're absolutely flat-out on this."

Thousands of jobs were set to be created at Britishvolt both on side and in the supply chain

Mr Sanderson did not name the two interested parties due to what he said were confidentiality reasons.

Meanwhile, business minister Graham Stuart said the government was "entirely committed" to the automotive industry and expanding electric vehicle (EV) capacity, and that no money from its automotive transformation fund was provided to the company as it was unable to meet the conditions.

The government would continue to work with investors to encourage them to develop similar proposals on the site, the Commons was told.