The new advanced manufacturing facility, comprising three separate buildings with associated ancillary structures, will create up to 4,000 jobs on site over the lifespan of the project and thousands more in the supply chain.

Gord Johnston, president and chief executive officer of Stantec, said: “The Agratas facility will be pioneering in battery cell production, addressing demand in the advanced manufacturing space in the UK head-on, while benefiting productivity, the climate, and the economy.

“Stantec has strong capabilities in the advanced manufacturing space, and we look forward to working closely with Agratas to provide our significant breadth and depth of experience and support the successful completion of its project.”

Joe Hibbert, vice president of Capital Projects, Agratas. said: “Our partnership with Stantec is the next step in our mission to deliver best-in-class battery solutions for our global customers.”

The bid race for the main first phase construction contract is currently underway with construction data specialist Barbour ABI reporting that ISG, Wates, McAlpine and Laing O’Rourke are currently in the mix.