PM at launch of £900m complex at former Honda Swindon site

Rishi Sunak made the trip to Wiltshire on Monday morning

The Prime Minister has visited the former Honda manufacturing factory in Swindon, which is set to become a new £900m commercial site.

The development of Panattoni Park, a manufacturing and warehousing facility, is expected to create 7,000 jobs.

Honda opened its factory at the South Marston site in 1985, but closed in 2021 having made more than 3.7 million cars.

Rishi Sunak called Panattoni Park a "groundbreaking development".

Speaking at the site on Monday, he said it will create "thousands and thousands of high-quality jobs" for the local area.

"What were able to celebrate today is one of the largest investments in the south, one of the largest development sites in the south.

"Everyone here can look forward to a brighter future," he added.

Mr Sunak said the site will also attract more jobs to Swindon, which he said is "very fortunate to have not just the great location, but the transport connectivity that makes it an attractive place".

James Watson, from industrial developer Panattoni UK, said: "This really is a phoenix from the ashes story."

The complex is expected to be complete in about five years' time.

Work on the demolition of the car plant buildings has already begun

The Honda factory took up around 2.2 million sq ft of space, but Panattoni says its buildings will occupy closer to 5.5 million sq ft, using more of the potential of the site.

Mr Watson, head of development at Panattoni UK, for London and Southern England, said the current demolition was necessary, but both this and the subsequent construction would be done as ecologically as possible.

'Very excited'

"The buildings are just not fit for purpose for the needs and wants of modern manufacturers and logistics and data centre users," he said, adding they were 40 years old and "built for a very specific purpose".

"So we'll be putting up new buildings and we're very excited".

The developers are hoping to recycle about 90% of all materials, and are aiming to be as sustainable as possible, Mr Watson added.

The demolition phase is expected to take 12-18 months, but in that time construction will also begin.

The site is expected to be fully open in five years' time

Panattoni hopes to have the first one or two buildings in place by then, with a business plan to build speculatively, then attract customers, before moving on to the next phase of building.

"The whole thing is probably a five to six-year programme" said Mr Watson.

"If we get good take up of the first phase then we'll roll out the next, but we've had fantastic interest to date."

The site was at one time a World War Two airfield and aeroplane factory with thousands of examples of models being made and tested there, including the iconic Spitfire fighter planes.

James Watson said the developers were "talking to a number of potential occupiers"

It is designated as key employment land in Swindon.

Swindon Borough Council leader Jim Robbins said: "I'm really pleased we are finally seeing development come forward on the old Honda site as it will future proof the Swindon economy, bringing thousands of new jobs and significant investment in biodiversity, local roads and public access.

"This sends a clear signal Swindon is very much open for business and we are a town on the up."