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JLR would consider moving abroad if its expansion plans in Coventry are delayed

Xinhua, February 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

Jaguar Land Rover has lodged plans for a massive expansion of its headquarters in Coventry, with a warning the company will locate elsewhere in Britain or even abroad if their plans are blocked or delayed.

JLR want to expand into what is currently a protected green belt zone on the fringe of the city.

But its planning consultants say in a report to the city's planning department that delays to its investment plans will damage the growth of JLR in Britain.

A planning statement submitted on behalf of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and Coventry City Council outlines the multi-million dollar proposals, but also warns of the implications of delays by decision makers.

"Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) are synonymous with Coventry and Warwickshire. It is the home of their world headquarters and is the location from which their recent success has been stimulated.

"Their growth, since acquisition by Tata Motors, has been a UK (and Coventry and Warwickshire) success story; the figures speak for themselves. In the last five years turnover has tripled and their workforce has doubled. They now employ over 37,000 people with over 34,000 based in the UK," says the statement.

The consultants say as a result of the scale of JLR's growth, the pace of technological change and the growing demands for more efficient low emission vehicles, the need for additional space is urgent.

"Delays to investment decisions will damage the growth of JLR in the UK. The co-location of researchers, specialist staff, support staff, engineers and engine development and testing, together with core JLR supplier businesses is essential and will provide vital commercial and operational efficiencies. The case for an expanded site to meet JLR's needs is compelling, adds the report, saying there are no alternative suitable sites.

"The dispersal of powertrain facilities and research and development staff elsewhere in the wider region or UK, would not fit with JLR's commercial requirements,"warn the consultants.

They tell planning chiefs in the city: "It would cause serious inefficiencies and add considerably to production costs. If expansion at Whitley is not possible, put simply, JLR will need to look elsewhere, even abroad, where there are significant base cost advantages."

The scheme would see JLR as the major occupier of the expanded site, but there would be space for component suppliers, a hotel shops to meet the needs of employees, and the potential for showroom space for JLR to 'show' their vehicles.

The scheme, they say, would directly support the creation of up to 4,000 new jobs and directly help to secure jobs and investment at JLR's existing site.

The location of the proposed expansion site in the Green Belt means that very special circumstances must exist for the proposals to outweigh the harm to the Green Belt, but the consultants describe JLR as a special case. Endit