Northumberland councillors remain confident a crucial gigafactory will be completed despite reports the project was on 'life support' in a bid to cut costs.
Britishvolt's electric car battery plant under construction at Cambois near Blyth has been heralded as a game changer for the area, with thousands of new jobs set to be provided.
Construction has begun on the 95-hectare site that will eventually become one of the biggest buildings in the world - and the company has insisted that it remains on target for completion of the factory.
Following on from a report in the Guardian last week that suggested construction would be "severely limited" until February, the area's ward councillor has moved to reassure residents that the work will get done. Coun Alex Wallace reiterated the importance of the scheme to his area.
He said: "I've spoken to the chairman and it's very much as has been reported. I live quarter of a mile from it and activity is going on.
"People want to see the piling and steelwork going up, but that's not going to happen until February. It is so important to this area.
"We've had so many false dawns so you can understand people's misgivings - but you can see the levelling up that's happened there with JDR cables going up there as well.
"My message would be don't worry. I'm absolutely still confident. I know Boris (Johnson) is going but levelling up is a party policy.
"It's not my party of course, but there's no better levelling up than building the factory here and bringing the railway line back here."
Council leader Glen Sanderson also moved to reassure residents and said it would be doing all it could to make sure work continued.
He said: "We continue to work closely with Britishvolt and are assisting them in unlocking opportunities for further funding.
"We are confident they are doing all they can to counteract any impact they may face due to the current economic situation and they have already put in place measures. Their funding strategy is clear and follows already tried and tested routes on major projects like this.
"This project is extremely important to the council and we will do all we can to support it going forward by working in partnership with Britishvolt."
A statement from Britishvolt last week said: "Delivery of key materials to site continues along with project preparation activities. This will be followed in February with significant works such as piling which will prepare the site for structural steel work."
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