Honda Swindon redevelopment: Thousands of jobs expected

Panattoni is looking to build premises for industrial use at the former Honda plant

Around 9,000 jobs could be brought to Swindon as a logistics firm looks to redevelop the closed Honda facility.

Developer Panattoni said it expects a total of 16,000 jobs to be created at the site and national supply chain.

James Watson, the company's development director, said: "The £700m speculative investment we are making in the site is the largest in the company's history.

"This is a huge vote of confidence in both the workforce of Swindon and its location."

Around 3,000 people worked for Japanese car manufacturer Honda before it closed its doors at the end of July, with thousands more in its supply chain relying on the plant for their jobs.

Panattoni has now produced a 36-page document setting out its initial plans and asking for the public's views on the South Marston site, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. 

The company said there would be "a total generation of 16,000 new jobs of which we expect about 9,000 will be taken by the residents of Swindon".

It added that 860 people will be employed in building the new facilities at South Marston over the course of the next 10 years.

Mr Watson said: "This is the first step in our promise to redevelop and find a new use for the site."

The company said it wants the new buildings to be low carbon and energy efficient

The developer is looking to construct up-to-date and hi-tech new warehouses, logistics facilities and industrial units to attract new companies to Swindon.

The company has not put in a full application for planning permission, but it has asked for an environmental impact assessment screening opinion - a common precursor to major proposals.

Leader of Swindon Borough Council David Renard said: "Panattoni won't be using the site, that has to be remembered.

"The company is a developer, and it will put in the facilities for other companies and businesses to come and use it.

"Who those companies might be is covered by commercial confidentiality of course, but I imagine a company like Panattoni would not be investing such a huge sum of money without being confident it has clients lines up to take places on the site."

The Honda site is still being decommissioned and will be handed over to Panattoni in spring next year.