Costain has been awarded a contract worth around £123m to design and construct a new junction on the M5 motorway in Somerset that will provide dedicated access to a major electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility.

The contract, awarded through the Regional Delivery Partnership (RDP) framework by National Highways, marks a key milestone in efforts to improve connectivity and unlock economic growth in the South West region.

The project, known as Junction 22A, will be built between Burnham on Sea and Bridgwater and is intended to serve the Gravity Smart Campus and an associated £4 billion gigafactory project being developed by Agratas, which is expected to be Britain’s largest electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility. The new junction’s design seeks to improve transport links to the site while alleviating pressure on existing motorway infrastructure, particularly on the section of the M5 south of the Huntspill River.

Costain will act as the delivery integration partner and main works contractor, overseeing the full lifecycle of the scheme from detailed design and engineering through to construction, programme delivery and coordination with supply chain partners. Engineering and design consultancy WSP is reported to be supporting Costain on the design phase of the project.

National Highways identified the need for a new junction to support anticipated traffic growth linked to the gigafactory and the wider Gravity Smart Campus development. The contract notice suggests the work will span several years, with delivery epected well into the next decade.

Alex Vaughan, Chief Executive Officer of Costain, said the award was built on the company’s “long established highways delivery expertise and trusted partner relationship with National Highways.” He added: “We will work closely with our supply chain partners to design and deliver this new junction that will provide access to the new gigafactory and help to drive economic growth in this region of the UK.”

The new junction forms part of a wider programme of infrastructure improvements intended to support the UK’s transition to electric vehicle manufacturing, bolster supply chains, and enhance transport connectivity for both freight and workforce access.

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