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Author Topic: Growth at Bridgwater?  (Read 4362 times)
grahame
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« on: June 07, 2020, 09:32:37 »

From the Somerset County Gazette

Quote
TECH entrepreneur Elon Musk is rumoured to have visited Britain this week amid a government search for a site to build a huge electric car factory.

One of the possible sites is rumoured to be the 650-acre Gravity industrial park in Bridgwater, Somerset.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) is on the hunt for a location for a vehicle research, development and manufacturing gigafactory, it is understood.

Officials are looking to secure around four million sq ft of industrial space for a mammoth plant, according to Property Week.

As we hear of folks like Honda and Nissan looking at the viability of their UK (United Kingdom) operations after Brexit, after Coronavirus, and perhaps after we realise we can no longer go on burning fossil fuel in private transport in the way we have, is this the first ... are we seeing a new acorn starting to grow into a mighty tree?

How much longer before Bridgwater deserves more stopping there that just an hourly train to Taunton and to Bristol with half a dozen stops and a dawdle via Weston on the way?
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« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2020, 11:40:28 »

I thought it rather curious that he flew in and out of Luton airport (unless of course he was visiting more sites than Bridgwater, though I didn't read of any).  I hope he doesn't go away thinking that Somerset would be a fine place to site the plant if it wasn't for the fact that the nearest airport is nearly 3 hours away.
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« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2020, 14:47:51 »

I thought it rather curious that he flew in and out of Luton airport (unless of course he was visiting more sites than Bridgwater, though I didn't read of any).  I hope he doesn't go away thinking that Somerset would be a fine place to site the plant if it wasn't for the fact that the nearest airport is nearly 3 hours away.

Luton airport has a top-notch VIP terminal and it's possible that his security team were more comfortable going into there than Bristol and he flew out by helicopter?

Also, perhaps the lockdown means that Bristol and Exeter aren't open to international private jets?

Can't see Elon stumping up money for a railway station if he can help it. More likely that like Dyson, Tesla would run an employee coach service from Bristol, Taunton and Exeter.
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Western Pathfinder
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« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2020, 19:34:08 »

Just wondering out loud ,does anyone know what's going to replace Honda at Swindon?
It's Dysons neck of the woods after all ....
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« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2020, 20:51:11 »

Just wondering out loud ,does anyone know what's going to replace Honda at Swindon?
It's Dysons neck of the woods after all ....

No news.  interest from Dyson was short lived - they have ditched their electric car project.
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