Go ahead for new multi-million pound car plant

COVENTRY-based automotive group CPP Global Holdings has received a major boost to expansion plans with a decision by the city council to approve proposals for a new production facility at the historic Browns Lane site.

The company, which purchased the former Jaguar site from regional development agency Advantage West Midlands last year, hopes the new factory could create around 200 jobs.

Reports submitted to Coventry City Council suggest the scheme will attract around £68m of investment and could eventually support 1,000 jobs.

CPP, whose manufacturing division was acquired by Envisage Group in an undisclosed deal earlier this week, will use the new factory to manufacture an all-new version of the historic Jensen Interceptor plus various other exotic vehicles.

It had hoped to produce the Spyker C8 Aileron supercar there but a deal to secure the manufacturing rights has fallen through.

CPP plans to move employees from its present site at the Seven Stars Industrial Estate to the new factory, construction of which will start later this year.

The scheme approved by Coventry City Council is for the vehicle assembly plant, associated offices and parking for more than 100 vehicles. The plant covers around 6.8 acres, while the whole of the Browns Lane site, now called Lyons Park in memory of Jaguar’s founder, occupies around 23-acres.