It will be used to design, assemble and test engines
05:56, 24 Jul 2026
Rolls Royce, Filton(Image: Simon Galloway / Local World)
Rolls-Royce has unveiled plans to build a major new research and manufacturing facility in Filton. The aerospace giant is investing £100m in the factory and research hub, which will be dedicated to designing, assembling and testing engines for the defence sector.
The building will be located within the company’s current Gipsy Patch Lane site and will be used to create new products for future air combat, according to Rolls-Royce.
Belfast-based construction company McLaughlin & Harvey, which has previously delivered two other projects for Rolls-Royce, has won the contract to build the facility, with the firm’s Midlands and South West divisions undertaking this latest project.
Paul Pennington, senior vice president of infrastructure and defence for Rolls-Royce, said: “We are very pleased to be announcing the contract award to McLaughlin and Harvey. This complex facility is a physical manifestation of our commitment to novel technology and agile ways of working.
“By embedding our previous learnings, we are creating a space for state-of-the-art technology development, to ensure we meet our ambitious customer commitments while future-proofing our capabilities for decades to come.”
Rolls-Royce said the cutting-edge facility would “accelerate the pace and drive efficiencies” throughout research, testing and manufacturing while enabling new technology development, according to our sister site Business Live.
Dougie McCusker, construction director at McLaughlin & Harvey, said: “Our Midlands and South West team will draw on this past experience and broader expertise in complex manufacturing environments to support the client in building a state-of-the-art manufacturing and assembly facility in Bristol.”
Rolls-Royce said that once operational, the facility will “future-proof” the Filton site by providing “the required developments” for future air combat capabilities.
“The development is underpinned by ongoing enabling work to improve safety, security, and resilience across the site,” the company added.
The announcement arrives just a month after former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer revealed a £15bn defence spending package for the UK.
In June, Rolls-Royce shares soared as investors flocked to the main beneficiaries of the government’s Defence Investment Plan.
The manufacturer, which also operates a UK facility in Derby, is one of the top suppliers to the Ministry of Defence, producing engines for the Royal Air Force’s C-130 Hercules and the Eurofighter Typhoon.
It also engineers and constructs the nuclear reactors powering the Vanguard and Astute submarines, which carry Britain’s nuclear deterrent and maintain continuous patrols at sea.