Highly skilled new jobs could be on the horizon for South Hams residents thanks to £50m of government investment in maritime drone production and other defence innovation.

The money is part of the Plymouth defence growth deal with the aim of strengthening national security, creating hundreds of jobs and driving economic growth.

SW Devon MP Rebecca Smith said: “I welcome the announcement of Plymouth's Growth Deal which highlights Plymouth and the surrounding area’s immense potential to make an even greater contribution to our Armed Forces.

“Regular visits to Turnchapel Wharf and the Plymouth and South Devon Freeport in my constituency leave me impressed by both the innovation and the sheer scale of activity.

“However, what businesses urgently now need is the Defence Investment Plan promised last autumn.

“Across South West Devon, I consistently hear the same message, from firms of all sizes, and especially SMEs: they need contracts, and they need order books to start filling up.

“Until the DIP is unblocked, this announcement will not change the reality on the ground for defence firms.”

The city is one of five areas to benefit from the £250m defence growth deal announced last September.

It will expand on the work of the National Centre for Marine Autonomy, support training abnd transform the city centre..

Rebecca Smith added: “I will continue to urge the Government to match its rhetoric with concrete spending plans and to publish the DIP.

“Also, in light of Plymouth’s designation as a centre for marine autonomy, critical to the Royal Navy’s transition to a hybrid force by the 2030s, I have been urging the Government to formalise test sites off Plymouth Sound to accelerate the development of autonomous technologies.

“The Government must seize this opportunity and create the conditions for rapid innovation in the sector or Plymouth's potential will not be met and the UK will be left behind."