The Agratas gigafactory at Gravity, just off junction 23 of the M5 near Puriton, is the largest battery cell plant being built in the UK. In 2026 it changed shape. The steel frame for Building One is finished, Sir Robert McAlpine has handed over to a new construction partner, and the work on site is moving from piling and steel to cladding, mechanical and electrical installation, cleanroom fit-out and commissioning.
That shift matters if you need a bed. The people arriving for the next phase are electricians, pipefitters, cleanroom installers and commissioning engineers on stays of months rather than weeks, and they are arriving in a town where Hinkley Point C already has around 12,000 people on site.
This guide covers where the project actually stands in September 2026, who is hiring for what, where people working at Gravity live, what it costs, and how to book so you are not paying hotel rates in month four.
What is the Agratas gigafactory at Gravity?
It is a £4 billion electric vehicle battery cell factory being built by Agratas, the Tata Group’s battery business, on the Gravity Smart Campus between Puriton and Woolavington, about 4 to 5 miles north-east of Bridgwater. When it is running it will be the largest battery plant in the UK, supplying cells to Jaguar Land Rover.
| Developer | Agratas, the Tata Group’s battery business. |
| Site | Gravity Smart Campus, a 616-acre former Royal Ordnance Factory between Puriton and Woolavington. |
| Access | Enterprise Way, linking to the A39 and M5 junction 23 at Dunball. |
| Investment | Around £4 billion. |
| Planned capacity | 40GWh of battery cells a year at full build-out. |
| Anchor customer | Jaguar Land Rover. |
| Government support | £380 million grant, announced April 2026. |
| Direct jobs when operational | More than 4,000. |
| Production target | Late 2027, with Somerset Council quoting late 2027 to early 2028. |
| Full operation | Early 2030s, across three phases. |
Gravity itself is bigger than Agratas. The wider campus is planned for up to 7,500 jobs, so the gigafactory is the anchor tenant, not the whole story.
When will the Agratas gigafactory open?
Agratas is targeting the start of production in late 2027. Somerset Council quotes late 2027 to early 2028 for first production and the early 2030s for full operation. Dates have shifted since the original plan, and most of what you will read online dates from 2023 and 2024, so here is the sequence that matters.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| Summer 2024 | Groundworks begin; Sir Robert McAlpine appointed principal delivery partner |
| October 2024 | NG Bailey and TClarke named as M&E delivery partners |
| January 2026 | Building One steel frame complete |
| March 2026 | TClarke withdraws; NG Bailey takes the bulk of the M&E package, with a specialist expected for cleanroom works |
| March 2026 | Agratas opens Somerset careers registration ahead of live vacancies |
| April 2026 | £380m government grant announced; first phase of the Gravity ring road approved |
| Q2 2026 | Building One cladding under way, utilities building under construction, National Grid preparing the Woolavington substation site |
| June 2026 | McAlpine and Agratas agree to part ways after the first phase; TSL takes over as construction partner from the end of June |
| August 2026 | Agratas training programme launched at Bridgwater College for all new Somerset starters |
| Late 2027 | Target start of production |
Two things are worth being clear about.
The programme has moved. Construction trade press reported in March 2026 that the scheme was running many months behind schedule, and in June that first-phase completion had slipped from 2026 to 2027 after design changes and a scaled-back Building One. Agratas says the change of construction partner positions it to deliver the next phase “safely, efficiently and on schedule”, and the government’s April announcement still pointed to opening by the end of 2027.
The work is changing, not stopping. McAlpine’s own statement describes having “successfully completed the first phase”. The next phase is envelope, mechanical and electrical installation, cleanroom fit-out and commissioning, which is where the headcount on a factory like this typically peaks.
For accommodation, the practical reading is simple: assume your package could run longer than the programme says, and book on terms that let you extend.
How many people are working on the Agratas site?
Around 2,000 additional workers were expected at the phase one peak, according to a Somerset councillor in January 2026, and reporting on the April 2026 funding announcement put the figure at more than 2,200 people on site within a year. Plan around a construction workforce in the low thousands through 2026 and into 2027.
Who those people are matters as much as how many. Building One’s piling rigs and steel erectors have largely finished, and what replaces them is a different workforce with different accommodation needs.
| Phase | Typical trades | Typical stay | What they need from a bed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piling and steel (2024 to early 2026) | Groundworkers, piling crews, steel erectors | Weeks to a few months | Cheap, close, parking for crew vans |
| Envelope (2026) | Cladders, roofers, glaziers | Several months | Crew houses, van parking |
| M&E installation (2026 to 2027) | Electricians, pipefitters, ductwork, controls | 6 to 18 months | Own room, kitchen, laundry, secure van parking |
| Cleanroom fit-out (2026 to 2027) | Cleanroom specialists, flooring, HVAC | Months | Quiet, reliable Wi-Fi, flexible dates |
| Commissioning (2027) | Commissioning engineers, equipment installers, OEM technicians | Weeks to months, often shift work | Apartments, daytime quiet for night shifts, fast Wi-Fi |
The pattern is longer stays and more skilled trades. A supervisor or commissioning engineer on a twelve-month rotation will not accept a shared room in a contractor house, and a crew of eight electricians with three vans full of tools needs off-street parking more than it needs a gym.
What Agratas jobs are available, and how do you apply?
There are two kinds of Agratas jobs: construction and installation roles with the contractors building the factory, which you apply for through those firms and their agencies, and permanent factory roles with Agratas itself, which you apply for by registering on the Agratas website.
Agratas construction and installation jobs
These are not Agratas jobs. They are jobs with the construction partner and its supply chain: TSL as the new construction partner, NG Bailey, which took on most of the mechanical and electrical package in March 2026, and specialist packages such as cleanroom installation, cladding and commissioning. Recruitment runs through those contractors and their agencies, and roles are advertised as “Agratas” projects on the usual construction job boards.
If you are a tradesperson mobilising to Gravity, your employer normally arranges or reimburses accommodation. Ask before you travel whether they book it, pay a lodging allowance, or expect you to find your own. That single question decides everything else in this guide.
Permanent jobs at the Agratas factory
These are Agratas’s own permanent roles, and they are the ones that make up the “more than 4,000 jobs” figure. In March 2026 Agratas opened Somerset registration pages for three job families ahead of live vacancies:
- Production and operations
- Maintenance
- Quality
Candidates register through the Agratas website to hear first when roles go live. From August 2026, every new Somerset starter completes a three-week foundation programme at Bridgwater College on Bath Road, covering factory health and safety, battery manufacturing fundamentals and scenario-based exercises, and leading to two Level 2 qualifications. The pilot group of nine employees has already been through it.
If you are relocating to Somerset for a permanent role, the accommodation question is different: you need somewhere to live for the first two or three months while you find a rental or buy. That is covered below.
Why is accommodation near the Agratas gigafactory hard to find?
Because Gravity is competing for the same beds as Hinkley Point C, Bridgwater’s rental market is small, and the dedicated worker campus has not been built. Any one of those would tighten supply. All three together mean crews that book late pay more.
- Hinkley Point C is at peak construction, with around 12,000 people on site and roughly 26,000 across the project nationally. EDF’s campuses hold about 1,500 beds between them, so the private market in Bridgwater absorbs the rest. Our guide to what accommodation near Hinkley Point C really costs sets out how that demand plays out in rates and availability.
- Both projects share junction 23. The M5 junction that serves Gravity also serves Hinkley’s largest park and ride at Dunball, with space for up to 1,500 vehicles.
- Bridgwater’s rental market is small. A Rightmove search in September 2026 showed 105 homes to rent across the whole town.
- The dedicated campus is not built. In January 2026 Agratas and Property Link consultants proposed a 500-bed modular campus on the A38 Pawlett Road at Stretcholt, opposite Sedgemoor Crematorium and about 3.5 miles from Gravity, with restaurants, a gym and bus transport to site. At that point no formal application had been submitted, and local councillors warned a normal planning timetable would be too late for the 2026 peak.
Even if that campus is approved and built quickly, 500 beds against a workforce of 2,000-plus leaves most people finding their own. Do not plan a mobilisation around it. Check its current status, but book as if it does not exist.
Where is the best place to stay near the Agratas site?
Bridgwater is the closest town with real choice, but Highbridge and Burnham-on-Sea are usually better value for Gravity. Puriton and Woolavington are villages with very little rentable stock, so almost everyone working on the site lives in a nearby town and drives in.
| Base | Approx. distance to Gravity | Drive time (off-peak) | What it offers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgwater | 4 to 5 miles | 10 to 15 min | Most stock, most shops, but competing directly with Hinkley |
| Highbridge | About 7 miles | 15 min | Cheaper, quieter, station on the Bristol to Taunton line |
| Burnham-on-Sea | About 8 miles | 15 to 20 min | Seaside town, holiday lets available outside summer |
| Street and Glastonbury | 11 to 13 miles | 20 to 25 min | East along the A39, away from Hinkley’s pull |
| Taunton | About 17 miles | 25 to 30 min via the M5 | County town, biggest choice, longer commute |
| Weston-super-Mare | About 18 miles | 25 to 30 min via the M5 | Large supply, useful for crews coming from the north |
Distances are approximate and assume clear roads.
Bridgwater is the obvious base and the most contested. It has the most choice and the shortest drive, and it is exactly where Hinkley’s contractors are also looking.
Highbridge and Burnham-on-Sea are the better value for Gravity specifically. They sit on the A38 a short run north of junction 23, rents are lower than in Bridgwater, and they are further from Hinkley’s pull. Burnham is also a holiday town, which means more short-let stock outside July and August and less inside it.
Taunton works for supervisors and staff who want a bigger town and do not mind 30 minutes on the M5, and for anyone whose partner is relocating too.
How do you get to the Agratas site at Gravity?
By road, via Enterprise Way, which links the Gravity campus to the A39 and on to junction 23 of the M5 at Dunball. There is no station on site, and in practice almost everyone drives or shares a van.
What to plan for on the commute:
- Junction 23 is shared with Hinkley Point C. Hinkley’s biggest park and ride sits at Dunball with space for up to 1,500 vehicles, so expect queues around the junction at Hinkley shift change.
- Village works through 2026. The Village Enhancement Scheme between Puriton and Woolavington, which creates the first off-road walking and cycling route between the two villages, was due to start in 2026 and run for at least seven months.
- A new ring road is coming. The first phase of a 30mph orbital road around the Agratas site, with a shared walking and cycling path along its full length, was approved in April 2026.
- Buses run the A38, not the site. First Bus 21 and 21A services link Burnham, Highbridge, Dunball and Bridgwater roughly every 15 minutes in the daytime, but they run along the A38 corridor rather than past the Gravity entrance. Ask whether your employer runs a site shuttle.
- Nearest stations are Bridgwater and Highbridge & Burnham, both on the Bristol to Taunton line, useful for weekend travel home rather than the daily commute.
- Carnival night. Bridgwater Carnival on Saturday 7 November 2026 closes the town centre to traffic from 10:30am, which catches out weekend shifts every year.
How much does accommodation near the Agratas site cost?
Budget £25 to £35 per person per night for a shared contractor house, £45 to £95 a night for a serviced apartment and £70 to £100 for a hotel room. Somerset sits at the lower end of UK contractor accommodation pricing. Availability is the problem, not price.
| Option | Typical cost | Minimum stay | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared contractor house | £25 to £35 per person per night | Usually 7 to 28 nights | Crews of 3 to 10 |
| Serviced apartment | £45 to £95 per night | Usually 7 nights | Supervisors, engineers, relocating staff |
| Hotel | £70 to £100 per night | 1 night | Audits, site visits, the first few nights |
| Room in a house share | £635 to £780 per month | Usually monthly | Solo workers on long packages |
| Private rental (AST) | See below | 6 to 12 months | Permanent staff and long rotations |
Bridgwater asking rents in September 2026:
| Home | Typical asking rent |
|---|---|
| 1-bed flat | £675 to £875 pcm |
| 2-bed house | £875 to £1,150 pcm |
| 3-bed house | £1,125 to £1,360 pcm |
Monthly cost per person, 30 nights:
Shared contractor house ████████░░░░░░░░░░░░ £750 – £1,050
Room in a house share ██████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ £635 – £780 + travel
Serviced apt (2 sharing) ██████████████░░░░░░ £1,350 – £1,650
Hotel (single, no kitchen) ████████████████████ £2,100 – £3,000
How can you cut the cost of a long stay?
The nightly rate is the number everyone argues about, and it is rarely where the money is.
- Length of stay beats headcount. Operators discount on duration more readily than on bed count, typically 20 to 30% on long bookings.
- One continuous booking, one name. If the same person stays more than 28 nights in a row, VAT on the accommodation element drops to an effective rate of roughly 4% from night 29. It does not apply to a chain of weekly reservations. Our explainer on the reduced value rule for stays over 28 days shows how to structure the booking so it qualifies.
- A kitchen is worth £15 to £25 a day in food a worker would otherwise buy out.
- Get an all-in quote covering bills, Wi-Fi, parking and cleaning. A cheaper headline rate that charges separately for each clean is not cheaper.
- Watch the commute maths. At HMRC’s 45p a mile, putting someone up locally beats paying mileage once the round trip passes roughly 67 miles, about 33 miles each way.
What should contractors check before booking accommodation near Agratas?
Van parking, a flexible end date and one continuous booking in one name matter more than the nightly rate. A fit-out crew has different needs from a groundworks gang, so send these with every quote request and you will get a firm price rather than a range:
- The site postcode for Gravity, not just “Bridgwater”
- Dates, and whether the end date is firm. On this programme, assume it is not
- Headcount and room split. Skilled trades on long packages increasingly expect their own room
- Vehicles and height. How many vans, and whether any carry roof racks or ladders. Off-street parking is non-negotiable when a van holds thousands of pounds of tools
- Shift pattern. Commissioning often runs nights, which means daytime quiet and blackout blinds
- Laundry. Workwear gets washed every day on a long package
- Wi-Fi. Engineers submit reports and drawings from the accommodation
- Invoicing. Company name, PO number and payment terms
- Notice period. The most expensive clause if a package finishes early, or starts late
For teams of four or more, booking whole houses as a single contract is usually cheapest per head and easiest to manage. Our guide to group and crew bookings in Somerset covers how operators price a crew, what to put in the contract and how far ahead to book around big mobilisations.
Where should you live if you are relocating for an Agratas job?
Start with a furnished short stay of eight to twelve weeks, then rent or buy once you know the commute. If you are moving to Somerset for a permanent job at the gigafactory rather than a construction package, you are solving a different problem: where to live while you learn the area and find a proper home.
That gap is where a furnished short stay earns its keep. It lets you do the commute at 6am before you sign a twelve-month tenancy, work out whether Bridgwater, Highbridge, Burnham or Taunton suits the household, and avoid paying rent and a mortgage at the same time if your move has a chain. Bills are included, there is no deposit to recover, and you can extend by the week.
When the weekends come round, Bridgwater has more going for it than its reputation suggests, from the Quantock Hills on one side to the Somerset Levels on the other and the largest illuminated carnival in Europe on the first Saturday in November. Our local’s guide to things to do in Bridgwater is a good place to start.
How far ahead should you book accommodation for the Agratas build?
Book before the package mobilises, not in the week it starts. The crews that get the best rates near Gravity do the same five things every time:
- Book before the package starts, not in the week it mobilises
- Book one continuous stay rather than rolling weeklies
- Look north of junction 23 before settling for whatever is left in Bridgwater
- Put flexibility in the contract, because this programme has already moved twice
- Confirm parking in writing, one space per vehicle
Guests House runs serviced apartments and whole houses in Bridgwater, on Stockmoor Drive and Middle Street, and in Highbridge, all within about 15 to 20 minutes of Gravity. Every property has a full kitchen, parking, laundry, fast Wi-Fi and self check-in, so a crew can arrive after a late shift without waiting for a reception desk. We invoice companies directly with a PO reference, and rates step down the longer you stay.
Agratas jobs and accommodation: FAQs
Where is the Agratas gigafactory?
At the Gravity Smart Campus, a 616-acre former Royal Ordnance Factory site between Puriton and Woolavington, just off junction 23 of the M5 about 4 to 5 miles north-east of Bridgwater in Somerset.
When will the Agratas gigafactory open?
The target is late 2027. Somerset Council quotes first production in late 2027 to early 2028, with full operation in the early 2030s.
Who is building the Agratas gigafactory?
Sir Robert McAlpine delivered the first phase, including the Building One steel frame, then agreed to part ways with Agratas in June 2026. TSL took over as construction partner from the end of June. NG Bailey took on most of the mechanical and electrical package in March 2026, after TClarke withdrew.
How many jobs will Agratas create?
More than 4,000 direct jobs once the factory is operational, with thousands more in the supply chain. The wider Gravity campus is planned for up to 7,500 jobs.
How do I apply for Agratas jobs?
For permanent factory roles, register through the Agratas website for the Somerset production and operations, maintenance and quality job families. Construction and installation roles are recruited by the contractors, such as TSL and NG Bailey, and their agencies.
How many people are working on the Agratas site?
Around 2,000 additional workers were expected at the phase one peak, and reporting on the April 2026 funding announcement put the figure at more than 2,200 people on site within a year.
Is there worker accommodation at Gravity?
Not yet. A 500-bed modular campus on the A38 at Stretcholt, about 3.5 miles from site, was proposed in January 2026. Check its current planning status, but do not rely on it for a 2026 or 2027 mobilisation.
Where do Agratas workers stay? Mostly in Bridgwater, Highbridge and Burnham-on-Sea, with some in Taunton, Street and Weston-super-Mare. Highbridge and Burnham are often better value because they avoid the worst of the competition with Hinkley Point C.
How much is accommodation near the Agratas site?
Roughly £25 to £35 per person per night in a shared contractor house, £45 to £95 a night for a serviced apartment and £70 to £100 for a hotel room. A 1-bed flat in Bridgwater rents for around £675 to £875 a month.
How far is Gravity from Bridgwater?
About 4 to 5 miles, or 10 to 15 minutes by car off-peak, via the A39 and Enterprise Way.
Does Hinkley Point C affect accommodation for Agratas?
Yes. Hinkley has around 12,000 people on site and draws on the same Bridgwater rental and short-let market, and both projects use junction 23 of the M5.
Can I get the 28-day VAT saving on Agratas accommodation?
Yes, if the same person stays continuously for more than 28 nights in one booking. From night 29 the effective VAT on the accommodation element falls to roughly 4%. Confirm the detail with your accountant.
