Partners have established a group to work with Gravity to support its progress through the next stage of the transformation of its site near Bridgwater, Somerset into a sustainable smart campus.
The Gravity Delivery Group is set up to facilitate the delivery of Gravity as an Enterprise Zone and internationally renowned smart campus, which will help to create around 4,000 high quality jobs in Sedgemoor, at the heart of the South West.
The group plays an important role in guiding progress through updating plans for the site, which will happen through a Local Development Order during 2021. Proposals outlined in the order will be consulted on and people will have every opportunity to engage – online and in person.
Gravity’s plans to provide a destination for international investment, whilst creating social value in Sedgemoor through creating jobs, training and connections to wider opportunities.
Members of the delivery group include:
Gravity
Sedgemoor District Council
Somerset County Council
Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership
Highways England
Network Rail
Environment Agency
Natural England
Bridgwater and Taunton College
The Gravity Delivery Group will meet every six-to-eight weeks to progress significant strategic LDO matters aimed at supporting local partners meet their ambitions for the site. More information about how the Local Development Order will be consulted on will be shared before the end of the year.
Plans to provide safe, sustainable connections between the villages of Puriton and Woolavington have received support from Sedgemoor District Council.
The council has approved a planning application for a ‘Village Enhancement Scheme’ proposed by Gravity, which will include traffic-calming measures and a new multi-use path between the two villages connecting to the Gravity site and the 37 Club.
The scheme aims to provide a safe and attractive route for walking and cycling, reduce traffic speed, and improve highway safety within the villages of Puriton and Woolavington. It will provide the first off-road route between the two villages, and to the social club.
Importantly the measures will also help to make the Gravity Link Road, which is under construction, the preferred route into Gravity from the A39, whilst providing car-free access to Gravity and 37 Club from the villages.
Claire Pearce, Director of Planning and Economic Development at Gravity comments: “It’s important to secure the support of Sedgemoor District Council for this plan to enhance the safety and sustainability of transport links to Gravity, and within the area. Improving connectivity in the locality is a priority for us.”
Paul Lowndes, Programme Director at Gravity, comments: “The new pathway will create a much-needed, safe connection for walking and cycling between the villages of Puriton and Woolavington, and to the 37 Club.”
Gill Slocombe, Deputy Leader Sedgemoor District Council, adds: “Sedgemoor District Council is pleased to approve the Village Enhancement Scheme for Puriton and Woolavington. The whole community stands to benefit from the improved and safer connections, and the new car-free route.”
Gravity Project DocumentsThe multi-use path is one of several measures aimed at improving safe and sustainable transport connections in, and around, the two villages as part of Gravity’s ‘Clean and Inclusive’ growth strategy. It will be constructed using materials recycled from the Gravity site where possible, and new native trees will be planted along the route to further enhance the area. The path will be lit at night, and dog waste and litter bins will also be incorporated.
Gravity’s approach to the Village Enhancement Scheme reflects a key principle of the plan for the 616-acre Enterprise Zone to ensure that the Gravity site and the surrounding area is a well-connected place that supports sustainable transport.
Improving connections between Puriton and Woolavington also underlines Gravity’s commitment to support Villages Together – a community-driven initiative to improve the villages as places to live and work.
Gravity will now consider a phased approach to implementing the Village Enhancement Scheme. The scheme is part of the agreement under the existing planning permission for the main Gravity site and is required to start within one year from the formal adoption of the new link road, which is due to be completed in spring 2021.
Ends
Notes to editors
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.
Based on the site of the former Royal Ordnance Factory, between the villages of Puriton and Woolavington, Gravity will be home to businesses making a difference socially, economically and environmentally. The aim is to drive the UK’s shift towards a zero-carbon economy, placing Sedgemoor at the centre of the clean growth revolution – benefitting local villages, the town of Bridgwater, and the wider region.
Expected to create around 4,000 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.
Gravity endorses the South West’s capacity to lead the UK’s ‘green recovery’ with an open letter to the Chancellor
Progress on the Link Road continues apace; the focus over the summer has been forming the landscape bund
Local Development Order on track
Continued efforts to place Clean Growth at the centre of Gravity with proven evidence from delivering a successful material management strategy, and sponsoring the ‘Environmental Achievement Award’ at the 2021 Somerset Business Awards
Discussions with world-leading companies are ongoing, keep an eye on our social channels for announcements
Open Letter to the Chancellor
Martin Bellamy and Lord David Triesman, Gravity Directors, penned an open letter to the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak on 8 September, outlining the urgency of support need to support UK innovation. Gravity firmly believes the South West has the foundations in place to become a hub capable of fostering clean and inclusive economic growth. Read the open letter here.
Link Road Update
Over the summer, our focus has been on forming the landscape bund. 145,000 tonnes of blast mound material has been recovered and transported from the site to the link road. When complete, the landscape bund will act as a noise and visual barrier between activity on the link road and the local community. The recycled material used on the link road forms part of our sustainable materials management strategy, click here to find out more.
Local Development Order on-track
We are delighted with the progress to date and thank Sedgemoor District Council for drafting a Local Development Order for the Gravity enterprise zone.
We have developed our approach to clean and inclusive growth and how we are going to start to translate our vision into action. Our first delivery group meeting will be on 7 October with our partners and we look forward to sharing more updates with you shortly.
Recover, Recycle, Repurpose, Reuse
Our commitment to developing a leading smart campus underpinned by clean growth starts with its foundations. Evidence of Gravity’s successful material management strategy, created in partnership with Ashfield Solutions, is explored in an interview with Gravity’s Programme Director, Paul Lowndes.
“Our partnership with Ashfield Solutions ensures that Gravity has and continues to recover, reuse, recycle and repurpose all suitable on-site materials. This has significantly reduced disruption in surrounding communities and reduced our carbon footprint. We hope this strategy and its environmental considerations will guide more low-carbon developments across the UK
Paul Lowndes
Plans Progress for Knowle Hill
Gravity recently outlined plans for the development of six low-carbon homes at Knowle Hill. Find out more about the proposals here.
We look forward to hearing your views – leave your feedback by emailing the team.
Our Rail Plans
A £50million railway restoration is at the heart of Gravity. Network Rail’s feasibility study confirms the rail link will connect passengers and freight to Bristol, Bristol Port, Exeter and beyond, and is both deliverable and has sufficient paths to run the new rolling stock. Read more information on the railway project.
Gravity sponsors ‘Environmental Achievement Award’ at Somerset Business Awards 2021
Entries close midday 27 November, the ceremony will take place on March 26, 2021. The awards are free to enter and businesses do not need to be a member of the Chamber to take part.
Gravity in the media
Gravity Chairman, Martin Bellamy was interviewed on Wake up to Money, BBC 5 Live. The discussion centered on current business affairs, Gravity’s ambition for advanced manufacturing in the UK and the future of Apple and Tesla. Listen here.
Events
Gravity Chairman, Martin Bellamy joins the Real Estate Live UK – South West Panel.
The discussion ‘Steering Growth to the South West‘ will ask incisive questions about the key drivers of growth for the South West and evaluate the successful implementation of initiatives designed to stimulate investment in the region. Find out more.
Gravity has invited local residents, community organisations and businesses to learn more about the scheme from this website which will be publishing full details on 16 September, including a flyover video about the scheme. You will be able to submit comments from this date. If you have any questions the team can be contacted at gravity@social.co.uk.
For those who would like to meet the Knowle Hill project team face-to-face, we are also running drop-in events that start at 6pm and 7pm on Wednesday, 16 September at 37 Club, Puriton.
To help us manage numbers for the drop-in events, booking is essential. You can book here. Please note that places will be issued on a first come first-served basis.
We hope to hear from you, whether online or in person, soon!
SOMERSET 20 JULY – Gravity is proud to share ‘ROF 37‘ a project that captures the unique industrial heritage of our site and shares never-before-heard stories of the former Royal Ordnance Factory – Bridgwater.
The South West Heritage Trust was commissioned by Sedgemoor District Council to produce the short film. Late last year the public was invited to share their memories at two Community Heritage Days held at the 37 Club. More than 20 former employees were interviewed by Somerset Film. The scope of the project included the recording of documents, photographs and memorabilia.
Click here to view the full South West Heritage Trust press release.
Watch the short film below.
About Gravity
Gravity, the UK’s first commercial smart campus, is the blueprint for a smarter, cleaner future – faster. It will deliver a new era of possibility by supporting companies making a difference socially, economically and environmentally, driving the UK’s shift to growing through a cleaner economy.
With direct access to the M5 and accessible by rail, air and sea, the site offers over 635 acres for the creation of millions of sq ft of scalable, flexible and shared working space.
Multinationals and start-ups will benefit from the excellent connectivity and speed of build out Gravity offers. By attracting today’s giants and tomorrow’s unicorns, there will be significant opportunities for collaboration.
With its on-site water provision, renewable and low carbon energy infrastructure and building energy management, dark fibre, excellent transport links, accessible talent pool and knowledge economy including four top-tier universities close by, Gravity provides occupiers with the ability to build, expand, and develop faster and efficiently.
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
Under normal circumstances, The 37 Club is a vibrant part of local life with an extensive bar and restaurant menu along with a varied entertainment calendar. But the Covid crisis brought this popular social club to a close on 23rd March with the staff on furlough. The impact of Covid-19 in general was felt across community life. For those most vulnerable groups during lockdown that uncertainty was being unable to access the nutritious food they need to improve and maintain their health.
In response, Gravity working alongside community stakeholders including Puriton & Woolavington Parish Councils and The 37 Club, decided to re-open the 37 Club’s kitchen to establish a meal delivery service that would produce and deliver much needed hot meals and support to those most in need.
The tireless efforts from our very own local heroes whom volunteered countless hours to ensure that the most vulnerable within Gravity’s surrounding communities were fed and received what human contact was permitted. Through the 12 weeks the service ran for, almost 7,500 meals were delivered.
Paul Lowndes, Gravity Programme Director, said: “I’m just amazed and delighted at the speed and willingness for everyone to get on board to make sure all of the people in this situation have a hot meal. To all of the fabulous volunteers supplying and delivering all of the food: thank you.”
The responses from those receiving the meals were amazing, many wrote warm, heartfelt messages of appreciation to everyone who made the service possible. Those cards are on display at The 37 Club.
Messages from the community
Please could you pass on our grateful thanks to all involved in delivering delicious meals to us over the last 12 weeks. This has been so helpful, during lockdown especially. We are so aware that many people have been involved in supply, cooking and delivering them to us and we would like them all to know of our appreciation for the time they have given to volunteer in this service.
We will miss our friendly meal providers and deliverers! But wish them well as we all slowly return to the new normal! With our heartfelt thanks………
Margaret Hart and Diane Woosley
Thank you so much for allowing me to receive the lovely meals cooked at 37club during the lockdown. They were a lifeline to us living alone and gave us something to look forward to each day. Will miss the daily delivery now. Much appreciated and a big thank you to everyone concerned.
Jan Shingfield
Gravity would like to thank everybody who contributed to the service, with a special mention to Jan, Sandy, Sandra and Rachel of The 37 Club who volunteered their time to cook each and every of the delivered meals.
These achievements are the result of a huge collaborative effort driven by a unique community spirit with the willingness to look after its neighbours. The Gravity team hopes the actions exhibited during lockdown will be remembered for years to come.
Firstly, I hope this newsletter finds you, your family, and your colleagues safe and healthy. I would also like to thank the Gravity team and our partners, who, under unusual working conditions, have done some exceptional work and achieved great things. I would particularly like to pay my gratitude to the 37 Club for providing over 7,000 much-needed meals to the local community.
It’s exactly a year since we had ourGround Breaking event at Gravity; I believe the last two months have been some of the busiest. The Link Road and landscaping bund is well underway which I am sure the residents will be pleased about.
I also want to bring to your attention our newly launched video on Gravity, which you can watch here.
The Strategic Design Code and Landscape Masterplan are now with the council for consideration. Gravity is also working with the District Council to explore a new planning consent called a Local Development Order that seeks to create employment but also improves climate action and addresses broader sustainable development goals. This is going to be key to drive forward the strategic response to economic renewal and job creation.
Thank you to all those who contributed to the consultation event on the Village Enhancement Scheme. We will be submitting a full planning application on this as soon as possible.
I recently had the pleasure of discussing what Gravity means to the South West with MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset, Ian Liddell-Grainger. You can watch the full interview here, including Mr. Liddell-Grainger’s response when I ask him what he would say to entice Mr. Elon Musk to Gravity!
Keeping open levels of communication is top of our list, and I am pleased to announce that we are re-instating our Drop-In sessions with the next one on the 8th July. These sessions are open to all, alternatively, do email us any queries if you wish to keep in touch from home.
We are anticipating a busy summer as we work with the Government department Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS),the Department of International Trade (DIT),and a plethora of entities in promoting the SW as vital in terms of strategic economic renewal post-Covid 19. Our work with BEISwill be centered on supporting the South West’s aim to become the UK’s hub for clean and inclusive growth. We will look at all opportunities to enable this, from rail restoration through to improving digital connectivity, exploring free port zone, through to targeting sectors and occupiers that would be a perfect fit and create higher-value job opportunities into the future.
I look forward to updating you on our progress in our September newsletter.
Thank you for your own going support, and please keep safe.
Gravity will be restarting the Q&A community drop-in sessions. These events are open to all, with the appropriate social distancing, so if you have any questions or want to know more about our project.
Please join us – you do not need to register in advance.
8th July
3 – 7pm
The 37 Club (TA7 8AD)
Link Road Update
A record-breaking Spring has kept the team ahead of schedule on the landscape bund, so far 60,000 tonnes of recycled blast mound material has been transported from the site to the Link Road. When complete, the landscape bund will act as a noise and visual barrier between activity on the Link Road and the local community.
The next step will be to submit plans to the council for the Village Enhancement Scheme to provide important links between Gravity and the two villages. Thank you to everyone that contributed to make this such a collaborative process and inform the design. This is very much appreciated. Plans should be submitted end of June/ early July.
Strategic Design Code & Landscape Masterplan
Already submitted to the council to discharge ‘site-wide’ planning conditions, these strategy documents take us a significant step forward in thinking through and communicating our ambition for clean growth and turning this into design guidance on which further planning applications will be assessed. These documents are available on the Council’s web site.
Next Steps
There is a good deal of work underway from; ecological surveys to keep our baseline up to date, crafting our clean growth principles and priorities, to initiating a digital masterplan and a refreshed transport strategy. We look forward to sharing our progress in our next newsletter.
Community Meal Delivery Service
With the incredible support of volunteers from The 37 Club, Woolavington & Puriton Parish Councils and the wider community, Gravity established a food delivery service. Its aim was to reach those locally who were most in need during self-isolation.
Since the service was set up, the team has served over 7,000 meals to the communities of Woolavington and Puriton.
The 37 Club has been inundated with heartfelt messages of gratitude from residents who have relied on this service.
We wanted to take this opportunity to thank everybody who has enabled us to deliver these meals and support the local communities. Feats like this are achieved collectively as a community, one that Gravity is proud to be a part of.
Heritage Film – Coming Soon
Unique memories of the Royal Ordnance Factory Bridgwater have been captured in an upcoming short film produced in collaboration between Sedgemoor District Council, South West Heritage Trust and Somerset Film. We look forward to sharing the film.
Gravity in the media
Since our last newsletter in April, Gravity has appeared across several media outlets including BBC Radio Somerset, The Times, The Driving Supplement of the Sunday Times and Property Week. It has been a great few months for investment in the South West and drawing attention to the potential of the region
Gravity’s Director – Planning and Economic Development, Claire Pearce, recently participated in a panel discussion hosted by The Built Environment Network. The webinar focused on the challenges and opportunities faced in delivery the Western Gateway – the new proposed powerhouse forming a collaborative approach between the West of England and South Wales.
Whist being located in the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership area, the Sedgemoor economy is closely aligned and functionally integrated with the Bath/ Bristol economy, and emerging opportunities relating to Free Port Zones, rail restoration and research into digital connectivity, will serve to build and strengthen relationships for example between Gravity and the airport, port and Bristol University.
Gravity is pleased to announce that Woolavington Road is now open. We are immensely proud of the Gravity team and Alun Griffiths who have worked diligently over the last few weeks to get this much-needed road open for the community.
To receive direct updates on the Gravity Link Road sign up to our newsletter via the footer of our website. Click here to see the progress on the Link Road.
Firstly, I hope you, your family and colleagues are all healthy as we adjust to this new challenge set upon us. In many respects, for the Gravity team, it is business as ‘usual’ as we continue to deliver our world-leading smart campus from our respective homes during these trying times.
All of us here at Gravity are most concerned for the safety and well-being of our families, colleagues, customers, partners, and the many friends who make up Gravity’s vibrant family, which is why we have put the following measures in place.
Working Remotely: With many already used to working flexibly, this shift has fortunately been relatively smooth, and we believe should have little impact on our ability to deliver.
We’re also asking our teams and clients to work through digital channels as much as possible. This includes our events, which we are either postponing or transforming into virtual events. This is also an area where we are currently developing and providing new solutions for online events: both our own and our partners.
Meetings with our consultant team and partners will continue virtually to maintain momentum and to continue to make progress over this period. We will be using the time to make progress discharging site-wide planning conditions and developing our approach to achieving our ambitions. • Safety On-Site: Employees who must be on-site are applying social distancing and hygiene protocols based on guidance from health authorities.
Link Road completion: The government has deemed this work ‘Critical Infrastructure’, and as such it is still going ahead. We are pleased to be able to support this as it does provide a vital link for our communities and are doing everything we can to help these works proceed in a safe and controlled manner. You can read more here.
Meals for high risk: Gravity is working alongside Puriton & Woolavington Parish Councils to provide hot meals to the 60-80 individuals who are the most vulnerable and isolated in the local community. I would personally like to extend my gratitude to the volunteers that are preparing and delivering this much needed hot meal service.
Thank you for your own going support, we are all in this together. MartinBellamy, Chairman
In the news
Gravity Chairman, Martin Bellamy discusses regional investment with the BBC
Gravity Chairman, MartinBellamy, spoke with BBC political correspondent Alex Forsyth about the need for greater regional investment from Government, enabling the South West’s infrastructure and mobility offering to develop in line with the rest of the UK. Gravity is proud to represent the SouthWest ambition to change the UK economy into a clean one. The interview aired on BBC 10 O’clock news on March 1st.
Despite the wettest February on record, the construction of the Link Road is on track. The majority of the road has been surfaced; the focus of construction has shifted to the three roundabouts between the A39 and the entrance at Gravity. We have attained permission from Somerset county council to work on weekends to ensure that the Woolavington Road will reopen by Easter.
To stay up to date with progress on the link road, visit the Alun Griffiths community pageor join us for one of the regular community drop-in sessions held at The 37 club.
On Wednesday, 11th March, Gravity and Stantec hosted the Public Consultation for the proposed village enhancement scheme for Puriton and Woolavington. The recent event which outlined proposed plans for a foot and cycle path between the villages along with other improvements was met with a generally positive response from residents. A resident described the event as a “very informative afternoon”. Continued developments of the scheme can be found on our community page.
Link Road Community Drop in
Gravity and Alun Griffiths are continuing to co-host the link road community drop-ins. This gives residents a chance to meet the team and see the progress of the link road in person. The last drop-in that was held at the 37 Club on Wednesday 11th February was well attended by residents and local businesses.
Movers and Shakers – “How does the real estate marketplace deliver change?”
Gravity Chairman, Martin Bellamy, delivered a keynote speech at a Movers & Shakers event in Bristol. He outlined how Gravity will look beyond office space and ensure that the working environments created are rooted in the wellbeing of the people that will use the site.
