Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) reportedly plans to double the size of its Freelander and Evoque factory at Halewood near Liverpool and recruit a further 1,500 staff, taking the workforce to around 4,500.
The news, reported by the Daily Telegraph, came two weeks after Honda said it would recruit an extra 500 workers and double production at its British factory near Swindon.
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A JLR spokesman said the company had no comment on the Telegraph report which cited ‘sources familiar with the situation’.
The proposals are said to be at ‘a relatively early stage’ and could involve an investment of around GBP100m (US$155m) and include developing surrounding land.
The Halewood plant is at full capacity producing the Range Rover Evoque and employees worked extra shifts over Christmas to keep up with demand, the Telegraph said.
JLR has previously confirmed it is building a GBP355m engine plant in Wolverhampton and is redeveloping its ‘original’ factory in Solihull.
Halewood is a former Ford plant opened in 1964 to produce the Anglia. Its last Ford was the 1990s Escort and it then became the Jaguar X-type factory from 2001. The Freelander was added when last redesigned.
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