Work starts next week on restoring six hangars on the site which will be ready for occupation by the end of the year.

“This investment is a vote of confidence in our modern industrial strategy and our determination to cement the UK’s position as a world leader in high-tech engineering,” says Theresa May, “Dyson’s exporting strength and commitment to creating jobs in Britain is a real success story that demonstrates the opportunity that our plan to create a truly global Britain can present.”

The campus, on the disused Hullavington RAF airfield, is part of a £2.5 billion investment in research that is expected to increase Dyson’s UK workforce to over 14,000 from 3,500 today.

Dyson’s HQ is in Malmesbury where it has over 200 research projects running.  Hullavington will be ten times bigger.

Dyson campaigned for Brexit and believes that leaving the EU will have no effect on his business. 95% of Dyson’s sales come from overseas. Sir James points out that Europe represents only 15% of world trade – a share that is declining.

In September, Dyson will start running technology courses and he is seeking university status for his educational facilities.