New M5 junction to be built for £4bn gigafactory

The location of a new junction on the M5 has been revealed as part of plans for the UK’s biggest electric vehicle (EV) battery plant.

A £4bn gigafactory is under construction by Agratas, Tata Group’s global battery business, between Puriton and Woolavington, near Bridgwater in Somerset.

The junction plans were unveiled during a community exhibition showcasing updated plans for the gigafactory.

The planned junction  – to be called 22A – aims to alleviate pressure on the motorway and will be built to the north of the former freight line, which once served the Gravity site, where the battery plant is being built.

Its location is constrained by the proximity of the Huntspill River and a nearby nature reserve, which runs along the Gravity site’s northern boundary.

Therefore junction 22A will only serve southbound traffic coming to the gigafactory, with one slip road on the southbound site taking cars to the site from Bristol, Weston-super-Mare and Highbridge, and one northbound slip road returning them to the northbound M5.

Traffic wishing to access the site from the south – from Bridgwater, Taunton and Wellington -will continue to use junction 23 and follow Enterprise Way to the southern entrance.

National Highways said it is “looking to deliver this scheme at the earliest opportunity.”

Regional delivery director Colin Bird said: “Due to the committed future development expected in the Bridgwater, Puriton and surrounding area, we are exploring ways to support this growth and the impact to our roads.

“We are working with the government to explore opportunities, including a new junction, to alleviate additional pressure on the M5 between junctions 22 and 23. As plans develop, we will engage with local stakeholders to ensure they are informed of proposals and how it may impact them.”

National Highways has not confirmed how much it will cost to deliver the new junction.