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Community News

Gravity Look Ahead – Q4 2024

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October – December

As we move into Autumn, activity at the Gravity site will continue to accelerate. This is Gravity (TIG) continues to support the delivery of the advanced battery manufacturing facility, site infrastructure and wider campus amenities.

Summer saw Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM) appointed by Agratas for the construction of the first major building on site – Building One.

Gravity Site works

  • Site preparation for Agratas will continue, including material import and management.
  • Work to recycle site material will continue.
  • TIG contractors will be monitoring the new landscaping on the link road (Enterprise Way) and replacing, as necessary, to ensure completion as soon as possible.
  • Ground works and foundation construction (piling) continues for Agratas’s first building on site.
  • Work is well underway to open the new main entrance to site directly from the Woolavington Road roundabout, reducing the proportion of construction vehicles utilising Woolavington Road.
  • Environmental monitoring equipment to report on noise and air conditions has been installed. Data from this equipment will be reported to the Council governance groups, once fully established.
  • The formal completion and adoption of Enterprise Way by Somerset Council is expected after snagging has been completed by the contractor. Works will then start on the Village Enhancement Scheme (VES), which includes a pedestrian and cycle path connecting Purtion and Woolavington and traffic calming measures.
  • Following meetings with local stakeholders, National Grid will soon be communicating with local residents to introduce plans to build a new substation on the Gravity site. They are a key enabler to provide the necessary infrastructure for the whole of Gravity

Other matters

  • Gravity welcomes David Oakhill as its Director of Planning and Economic Development.
  • Ground investigations will continue throughout the autumn months.
  • Formal governance arrangements required under the LDO with the Council and other partners are now in place.
  • Enquiries – the respective teams will continue to support and respond to enquiries.

Contact Gravity

Contact Agratas

Download PDF here.

Look Ahead – Q3 2024

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July – September

As we move into summer the site will maintain high levels of activity. This is Gravity (TIG) continues to support Agratas, and other leading partners in the delivery of the advanced battery manufacturing facility, site infrastructure and wider campus amenities.

Site works

  • Site preparation and early works will continue including material import and management.
  • The work to recycle concrete from the site and crush it for re-use will continue.
  • Work with Somerset Council (SC) and other stakeholders is ongoing to establish and operate formal project governance meetings as well as community and business groups, we look forward to sharing more information as these develop.
  • TIG contractors will monitor the new landscaping on the link road (Enterprise Way) and replace as necessary.
  • Environmental monitoring equipment to report on noise and air conditions has been installed, data from this equipment will be reported to the Council as appropriate and governance groups when these are established.
  • The formal completion and adoption of Enterprise Way by Somerset Council is expected after the contractor has completed the snagging, then triggering the s106 timeline for delivery of the Village Enhancement Scheme (VES), which includes a pedestrian and cycle path connecting Puriton and Woolavington and traffic calming measures. TIG are well prepared for this with the scheme designed in readiness, to avoid any delays to implementation.
  • National Grid will be contacting local stakeholders to introduce their role in the delivery of the project and offering initial briefingsThey are a key enabler to provide the necessary infrastructure for the whole of Gravity.

Other matters

  • Consultant site visits and ground investigations will continue across the summer months.
  • Enquiries – the respective teams will continue to support and respond to enquiries.

Contact Gravity

Contact Agratas

Look Ahead – Q2 2024

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April – June

As we move into Spring, the Gravity site will become more active as we transition into delivery, the two landowners at the Gravity smart campus, This is Gravity (TIG) and Agratas will coordinate and jointly communicate where possible.

Site works

  • The work to recycle concrete from the site and crush it for re-use will continue. 
  • In line with our material management strategy the import of recycled aggregate from the Hinkley C connection resumed in March.
  • The import of aggregate to meet occupier needs as required will continue.
  • TIG contractors will be monitoring the new landscaping on the link road and replacing as necessary.
  • In preparation for the construction phase, we are installing environmental monitoring equipment to report on noise and air conditions.
  • The campus approach to reuse and recycling seeks to reduce traffic movements.
  • Consultant site visits and ground investigations will also take place. 
  • TIG archaeology investigations will take place on part of the site outside of the original ROF fence in late April/early May for about 12 weeks. 
  • Test piling for Agratas began on March 26th, it will take place for short periods throughout the day (08:00 – 18:00), Monday to Friday, measures to keep noise to a minimum and to limit excess dust on site by using water tankers if conditions are dry. Test piling will last for approximately three weeks.
  • Piling will commence once the test piling has been completed with the final piles designed. Further information on this will be provided by Agratas.

Other matters

  • Agratas will be hosting a series of public drop-in events between April 27 and May 2. Event leaflets have been shared, updates communicated via Agratas’ WhatsApp channel and information listed on Puriton and Woolavington Parish Council websites. Click here for further information about the Bridgwater event on April 30.
  • Multiple LDO compliance submissions will be progressed in the coming months for various uses across the site.
  • TIG will continue with its work to replace the leisure facilities currently hosted by the 37 Club. Plans for the new facility are on display at the current 37 Club.
  • Submissions to Somerset Council and other regulators on planning and technical matters will continue as appropriate.

Contact

Bounce Forward continues to deliver resilience training as part of the Gravity Skills Charter in partnership with Bridgwater & Taunton College

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Bounce Forward continues to deliver resilience training as part of the Local Development Order in partnership with Bridgwater & Taunton College

Lucy Bailey, the Founder of Bounce Forward, conducted a workshop as part of the Gravity Smart Campus development which benefits from an integrated Environment and Social Governance (ESG) policy and Skills Charter. This provides a focus on local training and development to shape a future workforce to meet occupier needs

Bounce Forward is a UK charity home to experts in psychological fitness. The workshop focused on the ‘Resilient Futures‘ programme, which is designed to equip young adults aged 16 to 25 with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive.

The Resilient Futures session hosted at Bridgwater & Taunton College is part of Bounce Forward’s “train the trainer” model which equips local stakeholders with their own “Resilient Futures” champions. The provision will support the development of a future workforce for Gravity and wider Somerset.

Gravity’s Claire Pearce and Salamanca Group’s Esther Croft were joined in attendance by staff from across Bridgwater & Taunton College, representatives from Stantec and Bristol Port.

The core focus of the session was to build mental resilience and emotional wellbeing, using hope theory as the structure to the programme. The content is appropriate for schools and colleges and can be extended to support the workforce including employers working with young people, indeed everyone can benefits from the principles covered. This session continues to build upon the Gravity sponsorship of Bounce Forward during the pandemic to work in local schools and colleges, this training will help to further embed and strengthen skills to develop a workforce for the future.

100% of session attendees agreed or strongly agreed with four impact statements:

  • I found the training useful personally.
  • It has prepared me to facilitate Resilient Futures.
  • It will be useful for the young adults I work with.
  • I would recommend Resilient Futures to others.

Ideas for implementation included; for delivery of training to staff and students, applying the content to future STEM events, aligning with other offers where Resilience Futures would complement, and a working group has been established to plan dissemination strategically.

Feedback from attendees

‘What I’ve learnt today will be invaluable to all, on a personal level, educational and occupational. Thank you for this opportunity to develop my skills in order to better support others.”

“I liked the fact that it is about empowering students and giving us a tool kit to help them improve their psychological fitness.”

“Particularly enjoyed the variety of attendees and differing experiences.”

This is Gravity’s Director – Planning & Economic Development, Claire Pearce commented: “Seeing Bounce Forward continue its important work following their introduction to the locality in 2021 is important to us and continues to build a positive legacy. Building the confidence of local young people is a critical component in the creation of a happy healthy workforce of tomorrow. We look forward to seeing further partnerships between stakeholders and schools to support our young people into the future”

Bounce Forward Founder & Chair, Lucy Bailey commented: “It was wonderful to have a broad mix of organisations and experience in the room together. So many rich conversations and having been equipped with a full suite of learning resources, those attending shared lots of creative ideas for taking the work forward. What we offer at Bounce Forward will add value and complement the full range of support already available to students at the college and I am excited to see how it evolves.”

Bridgwater & Taunton College Executive Project Lead, Chris Ridgwell commented “We were pleased to be able to host this event through the Local Skills Improvement Fund; bringing together employers from our region who are supporting young people as they begin their careers.

Bounce Forward’s expertise has given our employees the skills and abilities to support their colleagues, demonstrating the significant impact of such partnerships on local skills development.”

Learn more about Bounce Forward’s work in Bridgwater here.

Visit the Bounce Forward website here.

About Bounce Forward

Bounce Forward is a national charity delivering inspiring and practical train the trainer programmes to develop the next generations of psychologically fit children who will become psychologically fit adults. Our training programmes engage teachers, parents and others around children and young people to develop psychological fitness. Psychological fitness combines mental resilience and emotional wellbeing, both key attributes needed for success in the 21st century. We provide a framework of skills, based on a development model so that young people are better placed to face the complexities of tomorrow and make the most of their future. Our core offer is a five-year, evidence-based curriculum that can be embedded in the secondary school offer. Our impact and passion go beyond the delivery of training and teaching resources – at the heart of our work is research and we are driving a movement to influence UK policy around education to form a positive system of change. (Charity number: 1170591).

Gravity’s New ‘37’ Confirmed

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Gravity’s New ‘37’ Confirmed

This is Gravity Ltd has confirmed that it will be replacing the leisure facilities currently hosted at the 37 Club at the former Royal Ordnance Factory, on the new Gravity smart campus. The new leisure facility will be open to the public as well as the campus workforce.

Martin Bellamy, Chairman and CEO of Gravity, said: ‘After very careful consideration, we have agreed that the replacement of the core 37 club facilities, should remain on the Gravity smart campus site. We believe this is important for historic reasons to ensure an ongoing legacy from the former ROF facility and to ensure the leisure facilities remain immediately accessible to the villages and communities adjoining the campus’.

A meeting was held with the members and community to discuss initial plans. These plans have been revised to take on board the views expressed, and the plans will be displayed at the 37 club for member information over the coming weeks.

The name of the new facility has not yet been agreed and we welcome member feedback on this: our working title is ‘The 37’.

The new facility will be directly connected to the Village Enhancement Scheme – a walking and cycling route to connect Puriton and Woolavington villages and will include a café, bar, skittles and snooker facilities and will be open to the community during the day and at weekends.

A planning compliance submission under the Gravity Local Development Order (LDO) will be made to the Council in April and we anticipate work will start work in the summer and the new facility will be open early in the new year.

All skittles bookings will be honoured and moved across and we will work with staff, members and the community to manage the change.

Pete Bamber, current tenant of the 37 Club confirmed ‘I will be working closely with the Gravity team to ensure a smooth transition’.  

The current building, originally intended as a temporary, has consent for demolition as part of the campus LDO, resulting in an obligation to replace the facilities to ensure leisure facilities are retained.

We hope that the new 37 will be open to both existing and new customers to sustain it into the future.

About Gravity

Gravity is the UK’s leading strategic smart campus, anchored by the 40Gwh Agratas Gigafactory. It is now a catalyst for economic transformation across the South West. Delivering the campus will support transport decarbonisation and fast-track the UK’s electrification goals.

Gravity is at the heart of an innovation ecosystem and is the platform of choice to stimulate home-grown advanced battery manufacturing, it offers unrivalled connectivity, planning flexibility and access to world-class assets and talent pool with expertise in research and development in clean growth – underpinning the ability to serve a multitude of customers across all sectors in the transition to a net zero economy.

For more information about the Gravity Campus visit thisisgravity.co.uk

Look Ahead – Q1 2024

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As we emerge from the Winter months work at the Gravity site will ramp up and the community will see more activity. This is a welcome sign as the site moves into implementation.

There are now two landowners at the Gravity smart campus and works will be coordinated and activity communicated jointly where possible. This is Gravity (TIG) who secured the Local Development Order remain as one landowner. Other occupiers will be announced in due course.

Planned Site Works

  • The work to recycle concrete from the site and crush it for re-use will continue.
  • Import of recycled aggregate from the Hinkley C connection project will also resume (weather dependent) towards the end of March.
  • Import of aggregate to meet occupier needs as required.
  • TIG contractors will be monitoring the new landscaping on the link road and replacing as necessary.
  • Tree works on site will take place before bird nesting season to prepare for implementation.
  • The campus approach to re-use and recycling seeks to reduce traffic movements.
  • Consultant site visits, ground investigations will also take place.
  • TIG Archaeology investigations will take place on part of the site outside of the original ROF fence, late March / early April for about 12 weeks.

Other matters

  • TIG will continue to be represented locally by Claire Pearce as Director of Planning and Economic Development, Paul Lowndes as Programme Director on site, and Rob Stevens providing communications support. We welcome Stuart Houlet to the Gravity family as Head of Planning for TIG.
  • TIG will continue with its work to replace the leisure facilities currently hosted by the 37 Club.
  • Submissions to Somerset Council and other regulators on planning and technical matters will continue as appropriate.

View as PDF

View previous look-ahead documents.

Gravity hosts well-attended heritage community event, celebrating ROF37

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Gravity, supported by the South West Heritage Trust and Somerset Film, recently hosted an event to conclude a successful heritage project begun in 2019.

The event was held on 5 December at the 37 Club and was attended by more than 70 people, including local historians, members of the community, and former employees of the Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF37). Together they were able to discuss and celebrate their shared memories of the site.

The South West Heritage Trust described the site’s timeline up to modern times, bringing to life its heritage and the innovation and camaraderie that were at the heart of working life there.

There was a short talk about archival and other material that has been collected as part of the project, including a range of artefacts and memorabilia. Paul Comerford, a former employee, gave an insightful talk based on his book All Roads Lead to ROF. A highlight of the event was the first showing of a short film about ROF37, originally commissioned by Sedgemoor District Council (now Somerset Council).

Gravity’s Director – Planning & Economic Development, Claire Pearce, commented on the event: “We want to celebrate the rich industrial heritage of the site, and community events such as this are very important to so many people. The South West Heritage Trust has helped preserve the stories and the spirit of ROF37 and its key role in fostering industrial innovation. We’re excited that Gravity will be continuing that tradition by hosting a new generation of future-facing industries.”

She added: “Gravity extends its heartfelt thanks to all those who attended for their enthusiasm and their contributions. We’re especially grateful to the South West Heritage Trust and Somerset Film for their invaluable support in making the event such a success.“

Bob Croft, Head of Historic Environment and Estates for the Trust, said: “We were very pleased to work with Gravity and the local community in helping to record some of the stories of ROF37. The material we’ve gathered during the project will be safely preserved as part of the Somerset Archive collections and will be available for future generations to consult”

The curating and cataloguing of the South West Heritage Trust’s archive have not yet finished. The Trust would welcome help from any former Royal Ordnance Factory 37 employee who can contribute their knowledge to the process. If you, or someone you know, may have information or further stories to share, please contact the Trust at somersetarchives@swheritage.org.uk.

  • Click here to view the archive catalogue for the Royal Ordnance Factory 37.
  • Click here to view the ROF37 film.

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 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.

About South West Heritage Trust

The South West Heritage Trust is an independent charity committed to protecting and celebrating Somerset and Devon’s rich heritage. As well as the widely-praised Museum of Somerset and the redeveloped Somerset Rural Life Museum, in Glastonbury, the Trust manages state-of-the-art facilities in Taunton and Exeter to care for the extraordinary archive collections of the two counties. The Trust also provides essential advice about the historic environment and manages historic sites. Visit swheritage.org.uk   

Gravity expands its partnership with Bridgwater United FC

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This is Gravity is proud to support Bridgwater United Football Club (BUFC) with the Gravity brand now displayed pitch side at Fairfax Park.

The Gravity – BUFC partnership is focused primarily on creating community social value through the delivery of the Gravity Sphero STEM initiative which launched in October 2022. The Sphero initiative prioritises the engagement of young people to raise aspirations through the development of robotics and coding skills through the medium of football – in a way that is accessible to all.  

Gravity is working closely with BUFC on the implementation of local leisure facilities that would replace elements of the 37 Sports & Social Club and integrate new facilities into the community.

This academic year BUFC has partnered with East and West Huntspill schools to introduce the Sphero After School Clubs. In the recent term, our collaboration with East Huntspill saw the successful roll-out of weekly Sphero sessions, engaging approximately 12 students per session over a six-week period.

Past collaborations include sessions with Woolavington, and the integration of Sphero activities into local Sports Camps, monthly student outreach has consistently reached between 100 and 150 students.

This is Gravity’s Director – Planning & Economic Development, Claire Pearce, commented: “Forging closer local partnerships at a grassroots level are key to delivering the genuine social value that we set out to achieve through our environmental and social governance policy. We are proud of the reach that Bridgwater United Sports & Community Trust has achieved in the year since the STEM Sphero initiative launched. Going forward we expect our connection to Bridgwater United FC to grow and we look forward continuing to work with them”.

Bridgwater United FC Head of Community, Dan Rogers, commented: “The support Gravity have given us on our Sphero project has allowed Bridgwater United to expand and enhance its delivery and become the first English non-league football club to deliver the Sphero programme within its locality.

We have seen rapid uptake in STEM interest amongst the children that are working with, so much so that the young people are showing the coaches’ new ways to use block coding!

We are excited to continue our relationship with the Gravity team and cannot wait to get the ‘ball rolling’ on our plans.”

Look Ahead – October 2023

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The Gravity team continues to work across many workstreams to ensure that the site is ready for mobilisation and implementation of a large-scale advanced manufacturing facility. All workstreams listed in our Summer 2023 Look Ahead document are still ongoing.

Our primary update is to notify local communities that in accordance with our planning permission that on on-site works will be taking place on Saturdays 8am-6pm across the month of October, from Saturday the 7th through till Saturday the 28th.

Saturday working (7th, 14th, 21st, 28th)

  • Due to fluctuating weather conditions throughout the year, Gravity aims to maximise the use of the remaining fair weather.
  • All on-site activities strictly comply with Condition 2 of the planning permission ref: 42/22/00007. No work is being conducted within 500 meters of any residential property.
  • Somerset Council is fully informed about the temporary adjustments to the working hours on-site for October.
  • No HGV deliveries or imports are scheduled during these days. Work will be halted if weather conditions are not favourable.

On-site works

  • Ongoing processing of onsite materials
  • Breaking up of concrete in the ground and cutting and filling to achieve plateau levels
  • Site preparation activities remain ongoing
  • Site maintenance works comprising site security, road cleaning, grass mowing, fence repairs are continuing as required.

View as PDF

Gravity – Look Ahead Summer 2023

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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.

Recycling Material

  • The site team continues to recycle concrete ‘won’ or found on site and this is being crushed to be re-used on the site during construction.
  • The Kelson Sparks team are working with Gravity to recycle the material from the National Grid Hinkley C connection project temporary haul roads to store on-site for use in construction. This ensures many lorries of aggregate are being taken off the local roads.
  • Haulage routes utilise Enterprise Way as well as the secondary access to the East of the site, to avoid unnecessary impacts on local communities. In 2023 alone, Enterprise Way has removed over 6,500 HGV journeys from local village roads.

Other on-site activities

  • Site maintenance works comprising site security, road cleaning, grass mowing, and fence repairs are continuing as required.
  • Site preparation is ongoing. Approximately half the site has been cleared of bramble and other brash so that ground works can commence.
  • Ecological management continues on a daily basis to monitor badger activity at the boundaries of the fenced site. Our ecologists translocated the water vole population last spring and Gravity continues activity to ensure that the site rhynes are clear and do not present new habitat opportunities whilst construction is ongoing.

Link Road landscaping

  • The landscaped area along the link road is under Gravity ownership. The landscaping works are part of the Alun Griffiths Contract and the contractor has an obligation to maintain the landscaping and replace any failed planting for a period of 2 years after completion.
  • The implementation of new landscaping is often challenging on any scheme and the unpredictable and extreme shifts in the weather have made this more so, therefore the landscaping will be monitored and replaced as required.

Village enhancement scheme – Woolavington cycle & footpath

  • A timeline for the delivery of the Cycle and 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.

What to expect

  • Hosting of visitors to the site.
  • Increased levels of activity on site.
  • Increased HGV deliveries to the site, vehicles will be using the purpose-built access road ‘Enterprise Way.

Contact us:

• In event of queries please contact Gravity directly at info@thisisgravity.co.uk
• To view our planning documentation please click here.

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