Latest pictures show progress at Somerset’s giant battery factory

Drone footage from Agratas shows the latest developments made at its 308-acre battery production site, near Bridgwater in Somerset.

Recent progress includes work beginning on multiple floor levels within the main steel-framed manufacturing building, while the 100m-long central utilities building has also started to take shape.

As construction ramps up, there are now 450 people based on site, working both directly for Agratas and indirectly through its supply chain and construction delivery partner, Sir Robert McAlpine. Severfield is fabricating, supplying and erecting the steelwork for the project.

Construction of the manufacturing building alone will support more than 2,200 direct jobs and around 7,500 jobs in the supply chain, for the duration of the build.

Chris Love, Agratas’ Vice President, Global Manufacturing Engineering and UK Construction, said: “Our project will create many positive opportunities and benefits for Somerset and the South West, so we’re hugely proud of the progress our team and partners have made to date.

“It’s exciting to see the facility taking shape, moving us a step closer to delivering sustainable, world-class battery production here in Somerset.”

Construction began in 2024 and will continue into 2026. Next year will also see the start of recruitment for some 1,600 jobs required to facilitate battery cell production – including roles in operations, maintenance, quality, technical, engineering, and logistics.

Once fully operational, the project is expected to generate more than £700 million in economic value annually for the South West.