Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, today joined the Prime Minister on a visit to the new Jaguar Land Rover engine plant, at the i54 Business Park in South Staffordshire.
The Rt Hon. David Cameron MP and Gavin enjoyed a preview of the facilities, ahead of the official opening later this year.
On completion, the £500m plant will cover up to 10,000 square metres and will include an engine testing centre, as well as manufacturing and assembly halls.
The factory will make new fuel-efficient four cylinder diesel and petrol engines for the next generation of Jaguars and Land Rovers, with the first engines expected to come off the production line early next year.
Around 1,400 people will work at the JLR site, but a total of 3500 jobs are expected to be created within JLR and its supplier companies.
The recruitment process has already commenced, with around 4,000 people applying for the first 600 manufacturing jobs on offer.
On the visit, Gavin said: “It was fantastic to be able to view this incredible new facility. The engine plant will have a huge impact on our local economy, creating thousands of new jobs for people in the nearby area.
“The factory is a great example of how South Staffordshire is becoming an extremely desirable location for big businesses to invest.”
Commenting to journalists, The Rt. Hon David Cameron MP said: “Too much growth has been focused on the South and not enough on export.
“This was the workshop of the world and Jaguar Land Rover is getting British people back to work.
“We need an export led recovery, we need high skills, research and development and this is a great British success story.”
JLR announced that it would be building the factory at the i54 Business Park, near Bilbrook, in 2011.
Gavin played a key role in ensuring the success of the original bid, with the Coalition Government pledging around £10 million worth of support for the JLR plant.