Sir Robert McAlpine has been appointed by Agratas as its preferred delivery partner for Building One of its battery cell manufacturing facility near Bridgwater in Somerset, UK.
The selection follows a comprehensive tender process evaluating cost, capability, experience, sustainability, and collaborative working.
This development is set to enhance the UK's battery manufacturing capacity, particularly for the automotive sector.
Agratas Capital Projects vice-president Joe Hibbert said: “The beginning of this partnership with Sir Robert McAlpine is another pivotal moment for our nationally significant project.
“The team brings an unrivalled commitment to technical excellence, client service, sustainability and exemplary project delivery, and most importantly, they live and breathe our shared vision of placing community at the heart of everything we do.”
Building One and its ancillary development will cover 244,710m² of gross external area (GEA), surpassing Wembley Stadium's approximately 180,000m² GEA by more than 35%.
With an operational target set for 2026, Sir Robert McAlpine will soon commence preparations for the facility.
Preparatory works at the site have been ongoing, with piling for Building One to begin shortly.
Construction of Building One will create approximately 2,100 construction jobs at peak times, with a number of roles also expected across the third and fourth tiers of the supply chain.
Agratas and Sir Robert McAlpine say they are committed to implementing a workforce development strategy that prioritises local employment opportunities.
Once all construction phases are complete, the facility is anticipated to contribute roughly half of the UK automotive sector's projected battery manufacturing capacity by the early 2030s.
Sir Robert McAlpine Buildings executive managing director Grant Findlay said: “Across our 155-year history, we have always been at the forefront of industrial change in the UK. This is why we are proud to be working with Agratas as its preferred delivery partner.
“We are aligned in our ambitions for making a long-lasting, positive impact on local communities, guided by our vision to construct a better world for future generations.”
Earlier this year, Sir Robert McAlpine was selected to construct 2 Finsbury Avenue, a dual high-rise, mixed-use development at the Broadgate campus in London, UK.
