Coventry Airport's new £2.5 billion Greenpower Park is to keep the city 'on the cutting edge of innovation' after winning approval in a major step forward that's set to deliver up to 6,000 jobs.

Detailed planning permission has been granted by Warwick District Council for the development at Baginton, on the city's border with Warwickshire.

This is a crucial part of Coventry's economic opportunities as the city aims to play its part in building a clean energy future that will boost the economy.

It's part of the Coventry and Warwick Investment Zone (CWIZ), a key strategic zone of nearly 250 hectares (616 acres) straddling Coventry City and Warwick District. It consists of four sites: Greenpower Park, SEGRO Park Coventry, Whitley South and Whitley East. 

Of the total footprint, 183 hectares (452 acres) are available for tax incentives such as full business rates relief for five years; enhanced capital allowances (100 per cent in the first year) for spending on plant and machinery; stamp duty relief, enhanced structures and building allowances (10 per cent per annum deduction); and a higher employer National Insurance threshold where zero rate NI can be applied to the earnings of eligible employees, up to £25,000 per year, for 36 months.

Greenpower Park, which will house seven manufacturing facilities, is designed as a centre of excellence for battery technology and manufacturing for the green energy industry. 

The project is adjacent to the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC), which serves as a testing and scaling hub and has just welcomed a visit by Labour's Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade.

While touring the site, Mr Kyle said: "Here in Coventry, you can see the future being built – world-leading facilities like UKBIC, and major investments like Greenpower Park creating thousands of skilled, well-paid jobs." 

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He warned that Reform UK's "war on green energy" was a threat to the success of the venture if Nigel Farage's party took power in the May 7 local elections or went on to win nationally.

Cllr Jim O' Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change at Coventry City Council, said: "We are investing in the industries of the future to keep Coventry at the cutting edge of innovation – and that means backing projects like Greenpower Park.

 "These are thousands of good, well-paid jobs for local people and real opportunities for businesses across our city."

He said Reform "would put politics before people's livelihoods and risk pulling investment out of Coventry just as we're building momentum."

Coventry City Council said: "Collectively, the vision for the CWIZ is to act as the key catalyst for driving the growth and modernisation of the West Midlands' battery technology, automotive and wider future mobility sectors.

"There is a market opportunity for an anchor investor and operator at Greenpower Park, specialising in battery manufacturing and/or related future mobility supply chain activities. The supporting sites are expected to then attract further investment and through linked CWIZ activities, catalyse growth opportunities for businesses operating in advanced manufacturing supply chains region-wide.

"The CWIZ has the benefit of being adjacent to a critical mass of academic R&D, automotive technology and logistics including the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry University, global automotive OEMs and proximity to the 'golden triangle'.

"The West Midlands has one of the largest automotive research clusters in Europe, including R&D facilities for JLR, TATA, Lotus and Polestar, accounting for 60 per cent of UK automotive R&D, highlighting the truly unique proposition that the Coventry & Warwick Investment Zone offers."

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