Construction of Jaguar Land Rover plant to start in first half of 2016

Jaguar Land Rover's plant that is set to be built in Nitra has qualified as a significant investment, the Government decided on Wednesday. The initial investment costs for the plant amount to the nominal value of €1.406 billion. Construction of the plant is to start in the first half of 2016. As the Economy Ministry's spokesperson confirmed, preparation works and an archaeological research are underway right now, as well as the cancelling of a railway track on the route Dražovce - Lužianky. The industrial park for Jaguar Land Rover near Nitra will be built by the construction company Strabag, SME daily reported on Wednesday. The State-run MH Invest under the remit of the Economy Ministry has chosen Strabag via direct negotiations without explaining why it decided to pick a contractor in this rather non-transparent way, reads the daily. Jaguar Land Rover in Nitra plans to produce 300,000 cars a year, and the Government approved the provision of state aid worth a maximum of €130 million.