Jaguar Land Rover has unveiled plans to build an 800,000 sq ft engine plant at the i54 business park in Wolverhampton.

Reports suggest the new site could create up to 1,000 jobs in the plant itself and through the supply chain.

The major boost for the region’s manufacturing sector comes just weeks after the company revealed it had passed the £1bn profit barrier in its year-end results.

At the time, JLR’s chief executive officer Ralf Speth, said: “The announcement of Jaguar Land Rover’s financial highlights is a very positive indicator for our business and reflects consumer confidence in our brands and the continued efforts of our entire Jaguar Land Rover workforce.

“This is a solid performance but we must remain focused on delivering a strong, sustainable business model for the future.

“To that end, we have committed more than £1bn a year over the next five years to the creation of new and exciting products which will strengthen Jaguar Land Rover’s position in the global marketplace.”