Rolls-Royce plans new manufacturing and office space on Raynesway
Construction & Build
Rolls-Royce in Derby is planning to build 200,000 sq ft of new factory and office space at its Raynesway site, floorspace equivalent to about 75 tennis courts. The development is expected to create dozens of new jobs at the company's submarine base.
The engineering giant wants to replace the Southwing office building at its Raynesway site on the east of the city, where it designs and builds reactors that power the UK’s nuclear submarines. It said the space was no longer fit for purpose and it wants to replace it with two new buildings.
In planning documents it said new space would ensure the submarine business was in a position to meet the demands of its Ministry of Defence contracts. The redevelopment could create an extra 30 manufacturing jobs, it said, and provide new accommodation for 450 existing office staff.
It comes four years after the Ministry of Defence awarded a £235 million contract to Rolls-Royce Submarines, which is part of the group’s defence business, to support nuclear propulsion systems.
Defence contracts worth more than £2 billion were awarded to BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce Submarines last year to begin the third major phase of the future submarine nuclear deterrent programme – Dreadnought.
This contract will allow four new submarines to be built in the UK from the 2030s, which will have a lifespan of about 30 years.
The plans follow the opening of Rolls-Royce’s Nuclear Skills Academy at Infinity Park Derby, which is run in collaboration with the University of Derby to produce the nuclear engineers of the future.
Written by Tom Pegden - Derbyshire Live.