This is Gravity’s Director – Planning & Economic Development, Claire Pearce, will be joining the Talking Economics: Brunel’s Vision for 2050 panel discussion, part of the wider Festival of Economics hosted by Bristol Ideas between 13th-16th November.
The annual Festival of Economics now entering its 12th year brings together economists and experts from around the world to debate – both with one and other and their audiences – on some of the key economic questions of our time.
Claire will be joining an esteemed panel including Dr Chris Colvin, an expert on economic history and the interwar economy; Barra Mac Ruairi, Chief Property Officer at the University of Bristol; Zoe Metcalfe, Client Director at Atkins Global, and Co-Founder, Ethos Wilder; and Ed Conway, Economics and Data Editor for Sky News.
The panel will discuss the infrastructure needs of Bristol and the wider county, how these should be funded and what governments should prioritise – whether that be transport links, digital networks or building communities.
Gravity is proud to have supported Puriton Parish Council in the funding of a brand new zip wire to complement the new village assault course, located at the Puriton Sports Centre.
The new adventure area opened to the public on Wednesday 16th August at a ceremony attended by Claire Pearce, Gravity’s Director – Planning & Economic Development and Paul Lowndes, Gravity’s Programme director.
The adventure area consists of a durable and sustainably built wooden assault course with a variety of organic and challenging obstacles for local older children to enjoy, accompanied by the Zip wire called ‘Gravity’.
Claire Pearce, reflecting on the assault course opening “The Gravity team is thrilled with the final outcome of this adventure area including the assault course and zip wire. We are immensely proud to contribute the matched funding required to help the sports centre team and parish council deliver these facilities. We would also like to thank our consultants Keystone and Ecology Solutions who provided voluntary services to help make this happen. A great team effort.
This play area is part of our ongoing commitment to creating social value locally, ensuring that our legacy initiative continues to ensure the 37 Club facilities are replaced and embedded in the wider area.”
Simon Langley, Puriton Parish Council “This would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication from the project team who worked tirelessly to make this dream a reality. We also want to thank Bristol-based Touchwood for designing, manufacturing and delivering our vision in a sustainable manner.
We truly hope that everyone enjoys the great outside adventure areas we have installed, this really makes a visit to the Puriton Sports Centre a worthwhile trip. The Parish council are extremely proud of this latest accomplishment to our ever-expanding “places to go, learn and places to play” in our community.”
The Gravity Smart Campus, a 616-acre enterprise zone expected to generate up to 7,500 jobs, has been recognised at the 2023 National Planning Awards. The awarding ceremony, in its ninth year, was hosted at the renowned IET Savoy Place on June 8th.
This is Gravity Ltd, supported by consultants Stantec and the wider team received a Highly Commended commendation for the Gravity Local Development Order (LDO) under two critical categories:
Planning Permission of the Year Award
Promoting Economic Growth Award
These commendations highlighted the design, development of the planning application, and the successful adoption of the Gravity LDO, enabling strategic outcomes for the UK as well as local communities.
The LDO serves as a potent marketing instrument, attracting international inward investment and high-paying jobs, new supply chain opportunities, all underpinned with world-class training and education. Moreover, the adaptive planning framework facilitates the delivery of custom occupier requirements within set strategic and flexible parameters.
This is Gravity also extended heartfelt congratulations to Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP for their distinguished Planning Award accomplishments. The firm clinched the ‘Planning Law Firm of the Year Award’, a testament to their outstanding legal contributions to the Gravity LDO and Compulsory Purchase Order, as well as other significant planning projects for other clients.
The judges commented, “…The scope of legal work and the complexities involved across these high-profile projects is genuinely astounding.”
Claire Pearce, This is Gravity’s Director – Planning & Economic Development, said, “We are delighted to have received ‘Highly Commended’ recognition from the Planning Awards 2023 in these two vital categories, especially amidst such strong competition. This is Gravity wish to extend sincere thanks to all who played a role in the development and adoption of the Gravity LDO. The process required vision, leadership, robust evidence, innovated assessment tools and multi-disciplinary team work to shape solutions to regenerate and transform a contaminated site into a transformational opportunity”.
We strongly believe that the major, international, advanced manufacturers we are currently engaging with, would be less likely to establish their operations at Gravity in the South West of the UK, had it not been for the adoption of the Gravity LDO by the progressive local authority, the former Sedgemoor District Council (now Somerset Council).”
Gravity will be the UK’s first commercial smart campus and a blueprint for a ‘cleaner’, smarter future. It aims to attract the world’s most innovative companies working in the ‘clean growth’ sectors.
Expected to create up to 7,500 jobs, the 616-acre Enterprise Zone will be designed to shape connections between people and the places in which they work, supporting a culture of innovation and wellbeing. It will include diverse, flexible workspaces and resilient technologies along with enhanced transport links to, and within, the surrounding area.
This is Gravity is proud to have sponsored and attended the first edition of the Bridgwater Business Expo, hosted in partnership between Bridgwater Chamber of Commerce and Bridgwater Town Council on Friday 9th June.
The event was a new platform designed to bring together potential customers and partners, to showcase local products and services and generate business opportunities within the community.
Gravity sponsored the workshops and seminar sessions that took place throughout the event, which covered diverse topics from digital marketing and international trade to cyber security and sustainable business practices.
Gravity Programme Director, Paul Lowndes, joined the first-panel session of the day ‘Booming Bridgwater: Growth opportunities for Bridgwater Businesses’, where he discussed the scale of opportunities that would become available once Gravity secures a large-scale advanced manufacturing operator. Gravity, the 616-acre site located adjacent to J23 M5 near Bridgwater is anticipated to create up to 7,500 jobs on-site and more throughout the wider supply chain.
Paul Lowndes, reflecting upon the event, shared:“The Bridgwater Business Expo’s successful debut was a tremendous occasion, and I am grateful to those who welcomed Gravity to partake in this significant event. Local businesses have always been integral to our vision. As we continue developing the site, we encourage local businesses to express their interest in joining our supply chain through a dedicated form available on our website. I eagerly anticipate the prospects that the next Bridgwater Business Expo will bring.”
Gravity will be the UK’s first commercial smart campus and a blueprint for a ‘cleaner’, smarter future. It aims to attract the world’s most innovative companies working in the ‘clean growth’ sectors.
Expected to create up to 7,500 jobs, the 616-acre Enterprise Zone will be designed to shape connections between people and the places in which they work, supporting a culture of innovation and wellbeing. It will include diverse, flexible workspaces and resilient technologies along with enhanced transport links to, and within, the surrounding area.
This is Gravity Ltd is proud to share that the Gravity ‘Green Bridge‘ has been shortlisted for the ‘Best Project’ award at that the Royal Town Planning Institute South West Awards for Planning Excellence 2023.
The wider Gravity team including Stantec, The Richards Partnership, LDA Design, Ecology Solutions and Alun Griffiths Contractors who worked together to plan and deliver this unique piece of highway infrastructure are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the winners.
The Gravity Green Bridge is up against for the ‘Best Project’ Award:
Les Quennevais Skatepark
Hall for Cornwall (Truro)
Water Lane Smart Grid and Storage Project
The RTPI South West Award ceremony for Winners and Commendations will take place on July 3rd at the Somerset County Cricket Ground in Taunton. All the South West Regional Awards local winning entries will be put forward for the national awards. The national shortlist will be announced on 9 October.
The Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) will be promoting Gravity and other transformational opportunities to investors at the national investment and infrastructure forum, UKREiiF, in Leeds on 16th – 18th May.
The annual forum is designed to attract inward investment, generate economic growth, and drive a more sustainable and inclusive culture within the property and construction industries.
The Heart of the South West LEP will be attending the show to highlight the South West’s key aviation, maritime and business investment opportunities.
David Ralph, Chief Executive of the Heart of the South West LEP, said: “We’re looking forward to presenting a number of transformational opportunities to investors at this year’s UKREiiF, from our world-leading aviation test zone, to our new Freeport. Our region offers a fantastic place to develop new and emerging technologies and businesses, with strengths in marine, data science, aerospace, clean energy, photonics, agriculture, defence and many more.”
Located over 600 acres in Somerset, Gravity is one of the largest oven-ready sites in the UK. With direct access to the M5, international airports, freight and rail terminals, this Enterprise Zone offers unique flexibility for forward-thinking companies.
Claire Pearce, Director of Planning & Economic Development at Gravity, said: “Gravity is geared to hosting international investment for UK plc, enabling a transformational step change in the transport decarbonisation efforts. Driven by a clean and inclusive growth vision, the Gravity Smart Campus will create up to 7,500 high-value jobs in a future-facing industry, stimulating economic restructuring and supply chain development. A Local Development Order has enabled us to provide both the scale and flexibility to host a gigafactory – one of 5 needed before 2030 to electrify the UK. We are excited to see how Gravity will act as a catalyst for wider economic renewal and the transition to Net Zero.”
About The Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership The Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership – covering Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay – is one of the 38 LEPs in England. The Heart of the South West LEP is a business-led partnership between the private sector, local authorities, universities and colleges.
About Gravity
Gravity will be the UK’s first commercial smart campus and a blueprint for a ‘cleaner’, smarter future. It aims to attract the world’s most innovative companies working in the ‘clean growth’ sectors.
Expected to create up to 7,500 jobs, the 616-acre Enterprise Zone will be designed to shape connections between people and the places in which they work, supporting a culture of innovation and wellbeing. It will include diverse, flexible workspaces and resilient technologies along with enhanced transport links to, and within, the surrounding area.
Gravity receives Bat House built by local college students
Local Skills Improvement Plan
Gravity was pleased to attend the launch event for the Local Skills Improvement Plan with the Somerset Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Skills will be a vital part of workforce development to meet future occupier needs. Working closely with Bridgwater and Taunton College, and wider partners, Gravity has inputted into the plan development process to ensure we promote international investment in Somerset, to connect training and employment opportunities to local businesses and communities.
Following on from our work with Bounce Forward – teaching and providing support on emotional resilience in schools – and the design competition with MOBIE to seek out creativity and talent in design, Gravity is delighted to now be working on a new skills initiative.
Gravity Sphero STEM initiative reaches over 500 local children in Bridgwater
Gravity is proud to share that within two school terms since its launch, the Gravity Sphero STEM initiative has reached over 500 children and young people in Bridgwater, delivered through Bridgwater United Community Trust.
Weekly sessions are delivered in Woolavington, East Huntspill and the surrounding areas, across term-time school deliveries, afterschool clubs and various holiday camps.
Gravity consultant, Stantec has been reaching into local schools as part of their environmental and social governance commitment. Stantec are introducing children at Northgate and Willowdown Primary Schools to the opportunities of engineering, through its Lego Bridge Building activity. This mirrors and translates the Gravity ‘green bridge’ into a school environment to connect children into the built environment and stimulate interest in potential future careers.
Stantec’s team were impressed by the year 3 students’ enthusiasm. The teams started thinking about the wider engineering design, for example, lighting, safety and amenity.
Stantec is delighted to have been invited back to run the activity again for years 3-6 for Northgate Primary School.
Miss Bailey: “Thank you so much for such a fantastic afternoon yesterday! The children absolutely loved it and learned lots too. I think we might have some budding engineers in our class now! “
Bounce Forward furthers positive impact with Quantock Education Trust INSET day
Bounce Forward, the UK-based education charity that Gravity introduced to local schools in 2021 to deliver its evidence-backed resilience curriculum is continuing to have a positive impact locally. In February, Bounce Forward hosted an INSET DAY programme for the Quantock Education Trust- the day was a space for discussion and exploring shared values as a team.
The session was designed to help build a sense of belonging, showing trust and care for each member of staff. Ideas shared on the day would be useful personally and encourage a shared language framework for problem-solving. This could then be applied as staff engage with each other, with students and with parents. The programme received hugely positive feedback from attendees. Learn more about the day and Bounce Forward by visiting the link below.
Claire Pearce attends trade delegation as part of the 75th-anniversary twinning of Bristol with Bordeaux
As part of our Business Charter, Gravity is committed to championing the South West, promoting economic development opportunities and accelerating progress on sustainability and climate adaption.
In February, our Director of Planning & Economic Development, Claire Pearce met a Bordeaux Trade Delegation hosted by Business West. This was part of a wider visit celebrating the 75th anniversary of the twinning between Bristol and Bordeaux. An MoU was signed between the University of Bristol and the University of Bordeaux.
This was the first visit to Bristol by Bordeaux officials with the aim of sharing learning on issues of mutual interest specifically in relation to climate change and clean growth; to strengthen existing ties e.g., between the two universities, and to explore future collaboration around trade, investment and community links.
Gravity awards Feritech Ltd with Sustainability Achievement Award
For the third year in a row, Gravity sponsored the ‘Sustainability Achievement Award’ for the Federation of Small Businesses South West.
This year our Programme Director, Paul Lowndes, awarded it to Feritech Limited, a Cornwall-based engineering and technology company for their holistic approach to the development of their £3m purpose-built Innovation Center.
Claire Pearce joins panel on the future of the South West’s economy
Our Director of Planning & Economic Development Claire Pearce was invited to be a panelist to participate in the discussion ‘What lies ahead for the South West’s Economy?’ hosted by The Business Desk. This was their first-panel discussion for the region.
The panel discussed what sets the South West apart, what could be done to make it easier for businesses to prosper, the challenges facing firms when it comes to employing the very best talent and what needs to be done to make the region even more attractive to investors. The panel consisted of representatives from Western Gateway, Saffery Champness, Womble Dickinson Bond and Marsh Commercial.
The Great South West Partnership will be running a series of local launch events over the next 6 months or so across Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset to share the Great South West’s emerging ambitions and priorities for the region. The first event was hosted in Taunton, Somerset on 29 March. Over the coming months, events will also be held in Cornwall, Devon, and Dorset.
Paul Lowndes discusses Gravity’s digital connectivity on Digital Somerset Podcast
Gravity Programme Director, Paul Lowndes was invited to speak on Digital Somerset’s podcast where he discusses how central ‘digital’ is to the development, Paul explains how digital technologies are enabling Gravity to accurately monitor its sustainability journey. Aspects monitored include the amount of imported recycled stone from National Grid T-pylon sites and the LiDAR drone scans of the site tracking exactly where that stone has been placed.
Paul also detailed the benefits of Gravity’s digital connectivity, through its resilient Dark Fibre supply and the recent 5G Logistics test bed that directly connects Gravity to Bristol Port.
Gravity’s funding enables Puriton park playground open to the public
Gravity has been pleased to work with Sedgemoor District Council to fund the delivery of a new and improved local play area for Purtion Park, located on Manse Lane. The new playground opened to the public on Friday 17th March. It consists of a bespoke play tower with a slide that can accommodate 24 children aged 2 and up, with an additional 3m x 1m trampoline suitable for all abilities and accommodates a wheelchair.
Aligned with Gravity’s ambition for clean growth and its commitment to environmental and social governance, sustainably sourced materials for the playground were a priority, the dark teal panels and posts were made from 100% post-consumer ocean recycled waste and 100% recycled textiles respectively.
Gravity worked in close partnership with Puriton Parish Council and Sedgemoor District Council to make this community asset a reality. This is part of Gravity’s ongoing commitment to creating social value locally, ensuring that our legacy initiative to replace and enhance children’s play equipment beyond the existing 37 Club.
As a next step on legacy delivery, our consultants Keystone have kindly volunteered to help Puriton Parish Council to clear land for the new assault course. With further Gravity funding to match other local resources, the Parish will now be able to commission this new facility for older children.
Local college built Bat House delivered to Gravity
Last month Gravity took delivery of a new Bat House which was built in partnership with Bridgwater & Taunton College (BTC) and our Ecology Clerk of Works, Ecology Solutions.
BTC students on Construction programmes at the Taunton campus constructed the Bat-house and their Welding students on an ECITB Welding Scholarship manufactured the steel frame to make it transportable and mobile. The guide specification and further expert support was supplied by Ecology Solutions.
Having real projects for students to work on gives them a great sense of achievement and participation in the local community, as well as a chance to test out their newly acquired skills.
The Bat House is designed to provide a safe and secure habitat for the bats and ensures that this important species can continue to thrive in the local ecosystem
This is Gravity is proud to share that within two school terms, the Gravity Sphero STEM initiative has reached over 500 children and young people in Bridgwater, delivered through Bridgwater United Community Trust. Weekly sessions are delivered in Woolavington, East Huntspill and the surrounding areas, across term time, afterschool clubs and various holiday camps.
Predominantly, the students reached are aged between 8-12 years old and are taught in class sizes of 10-12. This enables students to work individually and in pairs, providing a blended platform to use their own initiatives as well as team-building skills.
Everyone starts their Gravity Sphero journey in ‘Play mode’ to familiarise themselves with the robots and their abilities to understand basic instructions. Many master the basics quickly and keenly progress onto draw & block coding within ‘Sphero Edu mode’, where elements of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) dovetail.
Recent games include Bull Dog, football matches using tennis balls, practicing weight of passing and shooting and obstacle courses and mazes. Through play, the students are consistently developing key transferrable skills, they are gripped [EC2] and never want it to be packing up time.
Logan from Woolavington Primary school “This is the best club in the world”
Dan Rogers Bridgwater United Sports Trust Operations Managersaid: “The Sphero programme has really developed our delivery giving the young people we work with a chance to learn about technology and coding in a fun, play environment. We are proud to be the first non-league club to use this technology and we can see the difference it is making to the young people we work with on a weekly basis. Sphero club is their favorite part of the week and it’s ours too!”
Gravity Director of Planning & Economic Development Claire Pearce said “The Gravity ambition is to stimulate innovation and test new ideas, therefore I warmly welcome the commitment of the Bridgwater United Sports Trust in partnering with us on the Gravity Sphero initiative. I am really excited to see the positive response from local children and hope it will inspire young people into careers in science, technology, and engineering at Gravity in the future.
Gravity has been pleased to work with Sedgemoor District Council to fund the delivery of a new and improved local play area for Purtion Park, located on Manse Lane. The new playground opened to the public on Friday 17th March. It consists of a bespoke play tower with a slide that can accommodate 24 children aged 2 and up, with an additional 3m x 1m trampoline suitable for all abilities and accommodates a wheelchair.
Aligned with Gravity’s ambition for clean growth and its commitment to environmental and social governance, sustainably sourced materials for the playground were a priority, the dark teal panels and posts were made from 100% post-consumer ocean recycled waste and 100% recycled textiles respectively.
Gravity worked in close partnership with Puriton Parish Council and Sedgemoor District Council to make this community asset a reality. This is part of Gravity’s ongoing commitment to creating social value locally, ensuring that our legacy initiative to replace and enhance children’s play equipment beyond the existing 37 Club.
As a next step on legacy delivery, our consultants have kindly volunteered to help Puriton Parish Council to clear land for the new assault course. With further Gravity funding to match other local resources, the Parish will now be able to commission this new facility for older children.
The Gravity team continues to work across multiple workstreams to ensure that the site is ready for mobilisation and implementation of a large-scale advanced manufacturing facility.
Onsite Activities
Ecological management continues on a daily basis through our ecological clerk of works who monitor wildlife activity at the boundaries of the fenced site and conditions onsite. Gravity continues to ensure that the site rhynes are clear and do not present new habitat opportunities. This is consistent with our licencing requirements and ensures there is no barrier to construction and protects species.
Site maintenance works comprising site-security, road cleaning, grass mowing, fence repairs are continuing as required.
Site preparation is ongoing. Approximately half the site has been cleared of bramble and other brash so that groundwork can commence. Site-sourced concrete and brickwork is being processed for re-use.
Importing of recycled stone from the National Grid T-Pylon sites is scheduled to recommence in late March, this will result in increased HGV deliveries to the site, vehicles will use the purpose-built access road ‘Enterprise Way’ to reduce disruption to local communities.
Link Road Landscaping
Alun Griffiths’s sub-contractor has spent the winter months planting trees and shrubs consisting of a mix of native species to support biodiversity along Enterprise Way.
The landscaping efforts are nearing completion.
Village Enhancement Scheme – Woolavington Cycle & Footpath
A timeline for the delivery of the Cycle & Footpath linking Puriton with Woolavington will be generated upon the issuance of the formal ‘completion certificate’ for Enterprise Way from Somerset County Council.
Click here to view the planning submission for the proposed path.
Community
We continue to work with local organisations to ensure the wider area is maintained to welcome new investors to the area to create new economic opportunities for communities.
Contact us:
• In event of queries please contact Gravity directly at info@thisisgravity.co.uk • To view our planning documentation please click here.
