This is Gravity (TIGL) are pleased to share the announcement that Stuart Houlet MRTPI, Associate Director at PCL Planning has joined Gravity to provide a Head of Planning Services role, focussed on facilitating the delivery of the planning objectives for the Gravity Project and in particular supporting the implementation of the Gravity Local Development Order (LDO).
Stuart brings a wealth of experience following a successful 25-year planning and management career in local government, including substantial planning policy, development management and major project experience. He led Sedgemoor District Council’s Planning Team for 10 years as Development Manager and subsequently Assistant Director. Whilst at Sedgemoor he was the Council’s planning lead on both the Gravity and Hinkley Point C projects.
Working closely with Claire Pearce and the core Gravity team, Stuart will be responsible for a range of planning tasks including oversight for LDO compliance matters, preparation and co-ordination of compliance applications and providing advice on planning process and procedures.
Claire Pearce, Director of Planning and Economic Development commented “Personally and professionally I am delighted that Stuart is able to join us on the Gravity journey. His expertise and knowledge will be a key asset and his ability to engage with stakeholders and partners to address challenges and shape solutions’ is immensely valuable as we shift into delivery mode.“
Stuart Houlet advsied: “I am very excited to be able to support the Gravity team on such a significant project for the local area and wider UK and its clear transformational benefits in supporting clean and inclusive growth, decarbonisation and the climate change agenda. Having been involved in the site since 2007 in my previous Council role and seeing the project evolve, this is a fantastic opportunity to continue my involvement through its implementation and to support its delivery.
An exciting agreement aiming to reshape the educational and economic landscape of the South West in pursuit of green goals has been signed by the University of Bristol and Bridgwater & Taunton College.
Focused on supporting the UK’s transition to a net-zero economy, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) sets a new benchmark for higher and further education partnerships which will supercharge workforce development and research.
The partnership formalises the commitment of both institutions to leverage strengths and harness their collective experience and resources. Together, they will act as a catalyst for technological advancement, supporting development and innovation to drive the regional response to deliver the ambitious clean and inclusive growth strategy of Gravity, the UK’s first smart campus.
Andy Berry, Principal and CEO of Bridgwater & Taunton College, said: “Together with the University of Bristol, we are poised to revolutionise how education supports not just the immediate needs of our community, but also the long-term workforce requirements of innovative projects like Gravity. This MoU is a testament to our shared commitment to fostering a future-ready workforce equipped to meet the challenges of our rapidly evolving world.”
Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor and President at the University of Bristol, added: “We are delighted to enter this agreement, which further strengthens our relationship with Bridgwater & Taunton College and will play a vital role in developing the regional workforce as well as driving forward innovation.
“The Gravity smart campus offers a key gateway to progressive research, advancing the journey towards net-zero while also supporting training and careers in energy futures. We look forward to working with the College to nurture local talent and help deliver sustainable, inclusive growth to help meet the pressing challenges posed by climate change.”
The MoU outlines a framework for collaborative projects and initiatives which will create a unified approach to addressing the skills gap in sectors critical to achieving a net-zero economy. It also sets the stage for both institutions to work closely with industry leaders and other educational providers to ensure the South West leads in strategic responses to emerging economic sectors.
Claire Pearce, Director of Planning & Economic Development at Gravity, said: “Our Skills Charter creates the leadership opportunity for employer engagement and workforce development to align with our mission to create decent work and inclusive economic growth for local communities. We are thrilled to see a proactive partnership response and early progress to support occupiers and ensure that local talent has ample opportunity to navigate through education pathways to secure high-quality jobs at the Gravity smart campus. This MoU marks a significant step forward in achieving that mission.”
Firstly, we want to thank everyone for their patience. We appreciate that from an external perspective This is Gravity Ltd (TIG) has appeared to be relatively quiet until recently, specifically on occupier news.
During that time our team, supported by an array of stakeholders, has worked tirelessly to arrive at this very exciting point in our journey towards delivering a clean and inclusive smart campus.
Our site team has been working hard to ensure the site is fully remediated and has the benefit of a new access road to enable early occupiers. Our mission has been to be ‘ready’ to support early transition and implementation to deliver new investment and opportunities into the Gravity site, fulfilling its enterprise zone (EZ) objectives.
TIG can now proudly confirm that its first and primary occupier will be Agratas, the global battery business within the Tata Group, click here to read our press release.
We will continue to collaborate and support Agratas as they move into design and construction. Both parties will participate in the EZ governance groups and in the Local Development Order delivery group with statutory consultees.
Approximately 50% of the Gravity smart campus land area will remain in TIG landownership until further occupiers can be secured.
Other key TIG workstreams include the design of leisure facilities for the smart campus.
March 2024 Newsletter Highlights
Gravity confirms Agratas as primary smart campus occupier
Stakeholder feedback
Gravity LDO recognised as a Transformation Tool
Gravity Local Development Order (LDO) Delivery Group restarts
Boost to Gravity’s workforce development.
Gravity hosts heritage community event, celebrating ROF37
Gravity expands its partnership with Bridgwater United FC
Claire Pearce shortlisted for South West Leadership Awards
Pride of Somerset Youth Awards 2024 supported by Gravity
Agratas community update
Gravity confirms Agratas as primary occupier
TIG is proud to confirm Agratas as Gravity’s first and primary occupier. The smart campus will now transition into its implementation.
TIG will continue to work closely with Agratas, Somerset Council, Bridgwater & Taunton College and other stakeholders to deliver infrastructure, training and education, creating local jobs for local people and new opportunities for businesses in the region.
The TIG team were thrilled with the support received from local stakeholders about the announcement. Thank you.
Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol, said: “The South West has a fantastic innovation ecosystem geared towards achieving Net Zero, and it’s a great vote of confidence to see Agratas become part of that at Gravity. I look forward to exploring collaborative opportunities with them and other future occupiers of Gravity to advance the skills and R&D needed to tackle the climate emergency and boost our region’s growing reputation in energy futures”.
Dave Lees, CEO of Bristol Airport, said: “This is a big boost for the regional economy and puts Somerset and the South West at the forefront of the UK’s transition to net zero. As the region’s international gateway, we’ll do everything we can to support this exciting project and its supply chain”.
John Wilkinson, Director of the Western Gateway, said: “It is great to see this huge investment in the UK which is a vital opportunity for our nation to make the most of the economic opportunities of the green transition.
…This new Gigafactory will be a key part of ensuring our area can deliver on its potential to become the UK’s Green Energy Powerhouse. I look forward to working with our neighbours in the Great South West to promote our area as a driving force in the UK’s economic future”.
Andy Berry, Principal and CEO of Bridgwater and Taunton College, welcomed the news. He said: “It’s an exciting time for Somerset and our community. We will be drawing on our extensive experience of responding to workforce needs at a global level. As the skills lead we will be working with employers, industry specialists and other educational institutions such as the University of Bristol to deliver a cohesive and comprehensive approach to workforce development, it will be a fantastic boost for the region”.
Gravity LDO recognised as a Transformation Tool
TIG welcomed the recognition of the use of a Local Development Order (LDO) to regenerate and transform brownfield sites. In December the Gravity LDO, adopted by Somerset Council, was singled out in the speech delivered at the RIBA by The Rt Hon Micheal Gove’s MP.
“Somerset Council is using a Local Development Order to transform a brownfield site off the M5, the former Royal Ordnance Factory, into a new Enterprise Zone – creating up to 1.1 million square metres of advanced manufacturing and smart campus space.We want to see more local authorities embracing what Somerset have done”
Local Development Order (LDO) Delivery Group restarts
TIG in collaboration with, Agratas, Somerset Council and delivery partners, are in the process of gearing up preparations for the implementation stage of the Gravity Local Development Order (LDO) adopted in February 2022 for the Gravity Smart Campus.
To assist with technical coordination the Gravity LDO Delivery Group is being restarted. This group which comprises statutory consultees and key delivery partners, helped to facilitate the preparation of the Gravity LDO between 2020-22.
The LDO Delivery Group will receive regular updates and briefings on the Gravity smart campus from TIG, Agratas, the Council and delivery partners on what proposals will be coming forward. This will inform further updates with the community and wider stakeholders through newsletters and site updates to ensure effect coordination and communication.
Members of the public can of course raise queries through key contact points for TIG, Somerset Council and Agratas – communityuk@agratas.net
The Gravity team were excited to attend the CGLN opening of the Stock Exchange for their ‘Energising the Transition’ event, which looked at how we can supercharge the energy transition by securing an abundance of low cost, clean power for energy-intensive business.
Following a keynote by the Minister of State for Investment, Lord Johnson, In the first full session of the day, Martin Bellamy (CGLN Co-Founder and Chairman of This is Gravity) brought together Simon Baldey (SVP of Operations at Agratas), Lauren Pamma (Director at The Green Finance Institute) and Martin Wood (Chief Advisor at OFI).
They discussed how Agratas will build their gigafactory on the Gravity site, what this means for the UK automotive industry, how to bolster investment to attract similar projects and the opportunity to grow business through emerging supply chains.
Gravity hosts well-attended heritage community event, celebrating ROF37
TIG, supported by the South West Heritage Trust and Somerset Film, hosted an event in December to conclude a successful heritage project that begun in 2019.
The event 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 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.
Community feedback shaping new Gravity leisure facilities
In early February, TIG’s team along with representatives from Stantec, Reed Holland Architects and PCL Planning hosted a well-attended in-person community event at the 37 Club.
At the event plans for a replacement community leisure facility were presented, it was a chance for staff and existing club members to share their opinions about the proposals.
Gravity received almost 100 feedback responses following the event, Gravity and its wider team have worked to incorporate the considerations of the community into the revised proposal that will be submitted as part of the Local Development Order (LDO) compliance submission.
The following aspects of the leisure facility were adapted in response to community feedback:
The building has been increased in floorspace to facilitate increased function and leisure space and the overall flexibility of the building.
The layout of the upper floor has been amended to separate the café/bar area from a function space but allowing flexibility through a connecting bar to increase the function space as required. This will facilitate a wider range of events.
ROF 37 Memory Wall has been incorporated on the upper floor to provide an opportunity for the display of photographs and memorabilia, reflecting the important history of the ROF.
The lower floor has been reorganized to ensure separation between the skittle alleys and the snooker tables to avoid conflict between the activities, including providing noise reduction measures.
The seating area on the lower floor has been significantly increased to accommodate communal space for skittle teams during and after games, as well as for members generally.
Boost to Gravity’s workforce development
In October TIG convened Bridgwater & Taunton College (BTC) and the University of Bristol to further explore and strengthen collaboration.
The dialogue centered on BTC’s expertise and track record in employer engagement and the leadership role for Gravity on the workforce development strategy – aligning business needs to pathways to enable local people to connect to new training and job opportunities.
As a next step, the parties agreed to establish a Memorandum of Understanding and to initiate a mapping of respective strengths and educational ‘offer’ to form a baseline from which to build.
TIG expands its partnership with Bridgwater United FC
TIG is proud to support Bridgwater United Football Club (BUFC) with Gravity branding 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.
Bridgwater & Taunton College / Bounce Forward event
On 20th March at BTC’s Bridgwater Campus will host a day of learning through a “train the trainer” model which will equip local stakeholders with their own “Resilient Futures” champions. The provision will support the development of a future workforce for Gravity and wider Somerset.
The focus of the day is mental health resilience, which is appropriate for both schools and colleges, and we can extend it to any employers working with young people.
Building on 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.
TIG sponsors 2024 Pride of Somerset Youth Awards
TIG are proud to be the main sponsor for the Pride of Somerset Youth Awards 2024, which honours the remarkable achievements of young individuals throughout the county who have made their families, friends, or community proud over the last twelve months.
As well as being the main sponsor and ‘Environmental’ award sponsor, Gravity are also delighted to introduce its key partners at Bounce Forward and Bridgwater United Community Sports Trust as sponsors of the ‘Championing Positive Mental Health’ and ‘Community Hero’ awards, respectively.
TIG’s Director of Planning and Economic Development, Claire Pearce, has been shortlisted for the ‘Transformational Leader’ category at the inaugural TheBusinessDesk.com South West Leadership Awards.
The awards celebrate and honour the very best of businesses of all sizes and sectors across the South West. The winners will be announced at the gala event on Thursday, April 25th, in central Bristol.
After confirming their connection to the Gravity Smart Campus site, Agratas are now working on plans to continue building partnerships locally and strong relations with residents, in line with their community-first approach. Specifically, planning is underway to create opportunities for engagement with residents in the local area, including, an open house event in association with Bridgwater and Taunton Collegeto introduce the team behind the project and outline more about their plans. Agratas are currently working on the details and logistics to make this happen in weeks and months ahead and will update residents as soon as possible.
To receive updates from Agratas on the project, they invite you to join the Agratas WhatsApp Channel. They will be using this channel to update regularly with news that local communities will need to, or want to, be aware of.
This is Gravity Limited (TIGL) in collaboration with Somerset Council (SC) and delivery partners, are in the process of gearing up preparations for the implementation stage of the Gravity Local Development Order (LDO) adopted in February 2022 for the Gravity Smart Campus.
To assist with technical coordination the Gravity LDO Delivery Group is being restarted. This group which comprises statutory consultees and key delivery partners, helped to facilitate the preparation of the Gravity LDO between 2020-22. Each member of the LDO Delivery Group was responsible for providing guidance, technical input, working collaboratively and assisting in delivering specific activities associated with the site as appropriate.
The LDO Delivery Group will receive regular updates and briefings from TIGL, Agratas, the Council and delivery partners on what proposals will be coming forward, with a look ahead programme to help members of the group understand the potential forthcoming resourcing requirements to support the implementation stage.
This will inform further updates with the community and wider stakeholders through newsletters and site updates to ensure effective coordination and communication.
Members of the public can of course raise queries through key contact points for This Is Gravity, Somerset Council and Agratas – communityuk@agratas.net
Plans to build Britain’s biggest electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility in Somerset have been announced.
Agratas – Tata Group’s global battery business – have confirmed that the Gravity Smart Campus located near Bridgwater has been chosen as the location of its new UK gigafactory.
This will be the first time Somerset will have been formally confirmed as the location for the UK’s new gigafactory. It represents a £4 billion investment in Somerset, which will directly create 4,000 new jobs and thousands more in the wider supply chain.
And it is hugely significant for the UK as a whole. By the early 2030s, it will contribute almost half of the projected battery manufacturing capacity required for the UK automotive sector.
Local people will be kept informed at all stages of the development. People living near the site – previously known as the Royal Ordnance Factory 37 – will soon be receiving an introductory leaflet from Agratas. As owner of 50% of the remaining land holdings, This is Gravity Limited will continue to liaise with local community and stakeholders and collaborate with Agratas.
Martin Bellamy, Chairman and Tom Curtis, Co–Founders of Gravity said: “It’s impossible to overstate how important this is for the UK. It is the catalyst to kick-start the electric vehicle revolution in the UK.
As the biggest battery gigafactory in the UK, and one of the largest in Europe, its transformational impact will be enormous.
We look forward to working closely with Agratas, Somerset Council, Bridgwater & Taunton College and wider stakeholders to deliver this gigafactory as part of the Gravity Smart Campus.”
This development will enable the South West to ‘Take Charge’ and accelerate the UK’s clean and inclusive growth revolution, creating new job and business opportunities in future-facing sectors.
Councillor Bill Revans, Leader of Somerset Council, said: “This is momentous for the county, its economy and for future generations. It’s about seizing an incredible opportunity to be at the heart of the UK’s green energy industry that will create thousands of highly-skilled, well-paid, green jobs.”
Andy Berry, Principal and CEO of Bridgwater and Taunton College, welcomed the news. He said: “I’m delighted by this announcement and what it means for our community and the wider region. We’ve got a great deal of experience in workforce development – big infrastructure projects like Hinkley Point C.
…We can draw on that experience. We’ve been here and we’ve done this and Agratas can be tremendously confident in our community and in our workforce.”
Drone footage and other Gravity material are available here.
Agratas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons. It designs, develops and manufactures high-quality, high-performance, sustainable batteries applied to multiple use cases in the mobility and energy sectors.
Tata Sons is the principal investment holding company and promoter of Tata companies. Each Tata company or enterprise operates independently under the guidance and supervision of its own Board of Directors.
Gravity is the UK’s first strategic commercial smart campus and a blueprint for a cleaner, smarter future. Anchored by the 40Gwh Agratas Gigafactory, the campus will be the catalyst for economic uplift across the South West. Delivering the Gravity campus will support the wider efforts towards transport decarbonisation as well as the UK’s acceleration progress on electrification.
Gravity is at the heart of an ideal 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 innovation and clean growth. Underpins the ability to serve a multitude of customers across sectors in the transition to a net zero economy.
We are delighted to share that our Director of Planning and Economic Development, Claire Pearce, has been shortlisted for the ‘Transformational Leader ‘ category at the inaugural TheBusinessDesk.com South West Leadership Awards.
Claire Pearce joins an esteemed shortlist in the ‘Transformational Leader’ category: Louise Mitchell – Bristol Beacon; Ed Rowberry – BBRC (Bristol & Bath Regional Capital); Naseem Talukdar – Projects and Plastic (PAP) and Regency Recruitment.
The awards celebrate and honour the very best of businesses of all sizes and sectors across the South West. The winners will be announced at the gala event on Thursday, April 25th, in central Bristol.
For full details and to book your ticket click here.
The Pride of Somerset Youth Awards (POSYA) honours remarkable achievements of young individuals throughout the county who have made their families, friends, or community proud over the last twelve months.
Founded by the Rotary Club of Taunton, and now in their 17th year, the awards celebrate the often unsung heroes among our Somerset young people. They are dedicated to recognising inspirational efforts, accomplishments, unwavering determination and selfless actions.
2024 looks to be the biggest year yet for the awards, with several fantastic sponsors from advocates of Somerset, including This is Gravity, Somerset County Gazette, and Bridgwater & Taunton College.
Claire Pearce from Gravity said, “Gravity is immensely proud be the main sponsor of these awards as well as the ‘Environmental’ award. We welcome the opportunity to recognise and promote the inspirational young people across Somerset who go above and beyond for their communities. We are also delighted to introduce our key partners at Bounce Forward and Bridgwater United Community Sports Trust as sponsors of the ‘Championing Positive Mental Health’ and ‘Community Hero’ awards, respectively. The Gravity work on environmental and social governance is a team effort to contribute positively to the locality and help prepare and inspire young people about the future ahead.”
Andy Berry, Principal and CEO of Bridgwater & Taunton College said“We are delighted to sponsor these awards. Young people from across the County go above and beyond, often in the face of adversity, achieving amazing things. This is an opportunity to reflect on and recognise their achievements. I am looking forward to hearing their amazing stories and celebrating their accomplishments.”
The award categories range from Charity / Volunteer Hero and the Young Person of the Year Award to the Sandy Padgett and Sporting Achievement Awards. Each aim to spotlight any young person in the county who has demonstrated outstanding generosity, courage, talent, and dedication.
All nominations come from Somerset’s public, with the winners selected by a panel of judges comprised of local business leaders, public figures, and dedicated champions of various Somerset communities.
Among the past recipients are notable figures such as England cricketer Jos Buttler, British gymnast Laura Gallagher, and Jamie Edwards, a hopeful for the Paris Paralympics in wheelchair athletics.
An award ceremony will take place on Thursday 16 May 2024, 6.30pm-9pm at The McMillan Theatre, Bridgwater. This will be a truly special evening filled with pride, joy, and above all, the brilliant stories our award winners.
Do you know of a young individual who deserves recognition? You can nominate them today via our online portalhere. All nominees must be under the age of 21. The last date to submit nominations is Friday 8 March 2024.
You can get the latest updates on the awards by following Pride of Somerset Youth Awards 2024 on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
About the Awards
The Pride of Somerset Youth Awards 2024 is proud to work with a collection of fantastic partners that make this possible. With 10 awards categories in total, each sponsor has selected an award that they are passionate about and can advocate for.
Art & Culture Award | Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Taunton
Care Award | Sponsored by the Somerset County Gazette
Championing Positive Mental Health Award | Sponsored by Bounce Forward
Charity / Volunteer Hero | Sponsored by Young Somerset
Community Hero | Sponsored by Bridgwater United Community Sports Trust
Environmental Award | Sponsored by This is Gravity
Outstanding Courage Award | Sponsored by Somerset Larder
Sandy Padgett Award | Sponsored by Avon & Somerset Police
Sporting Achievement Award | Sponsored by Passion of Somerset
Young Person of Year Award | Sponsored by Bridgwater & Taunton College
Gravity welcomes the recognition of the use of a Local Development Order (LDO) to regenerate and transform brownfield sites in The Rt Hon Micheal Gove’s MP ‘Falling back in love with the future’ speech on the new national planning policy framework.
The speech highlighted the significance and underutilisation of the LDO as a dynamic planning mechanism to facilitate up-front planning permission to attract large-scale international investment and deliver positive change for communities. The Gravity LDO, adopted by Somerset Council, being singled out in the speech delivered at the RIBA.
The Gravity LDO consent comprises 1.1 million square metres of commercial floorspace, up to 750 homes, creating up to 7,500 jobs, regenerating a brownfield site and facilitating a new era of clean industrial growth.
Gravity’s Director – Planning & Economic Development, Claire Pearce, commented: “Recognition from the UK Government on the importance of the LDO as a transformation tool is welcome. We are proud of the work we have done to advance the LDO as a simplified planning tool aligned with the enterprise zone, to regenerate an extensive brownfield site and market the site to international investors. Gravity offers a progressive blueprint to shape clean growth solutions within a global marketplace, accelerate economic restructuring and create training and employment opportunities for host communities.”
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.
In a move that signifies the commitment to advancing local workforce development, Bridgwater & Taunton College (BTC) and the University of Bristol convened in late October with the Gravity team to further explore and strengthen collaboration. This meeting was hosted at Gravity and the National College for Nuclear Southern Hub, located in Cannington, just west of Bridgwater. The national college signifies the excellent existing working relationship to prepare young people for careers in the nuclear sector.
Gravity is geared to host international business and accelerate responses to climate change, specifically around large-scale advanced manufacturing and transport decarbonisation, opening up new sectors and careers in energy management and electrification – all fundamental in the transition to a net zero economy.
The dialogue centered on BTC’s expertise and track record in employer engagement and the leadership role for Gravity on the workforce development strategy – aligning business needs to pathways to enable local people to connect to new training and job opportunities.
Gravity will facilitate research and development and new higher and further educational routes, creating exciting prospects for the University of Bristol to engage with and develop. The collaboration will leverage the complementary strengths of each institution to bolster Gravity’s workforce development strategy, ensuring a future-facing pool of talent for future occupiers at Gravity.
The University of Bristol’s delegation concluded their visit with a guided tour of the National College for Nuclear’s state-of-the-art facilities. As a next step, the parties agreed to establish a Memorandum of Understanding and to initiate a mapping of respective strengths and educational ‘offer’ to form a baseline from which to build. The parties agreed this was an essential first step to provide a platform for employer engagement to scope business need, and to working with other partners more widely on implementation.
This is Gravity, Director – Planning and Economic Development, Claire Pearce commented: “This partnership builds on the success of workforce development in the Bridgwater locality over the last 15 years with major employers and is of great significance to Gravity’s ambition of achieving its clean and inclusive growth strategy. Our Skills Charter mission is to ensure that local talent has ample opportunity to navigate through bespoke education pathways between the two institutions to secure high-quality jobs with future occupiers on Gravity.
Access to talent has always been one of Gravity’s key marketed attributes, we believe that the two institutions complement each other, from level 3 apprenticeships through to PhD’s and we are eager to see the fruits of their collaboration in workforce development, which will empower the South West to lead a strategic response. This initiative is crucial for developing new skills that will underpin emerging economic sectors”.
Bridgwater & Taunton College Principal and CEO, Andy Berry, commented: “We are looking forward to working in collaboration with the University of Bristol to deliver the innovative vision of Gravity, together we are leveraging our strengths and setting a new standard in education-to-employment pathways. It is a shining example of how local institutions can come together to build a formidable workforce for the future. Together we are meeting the immediate needs of our community and developing a robust model for sustainable growth to support the future workforce requirements of Gravity. We’re crafting a future where our students and local talent can benefit from this academic partnership, gaining skills that equip them to become ready for the challenges of a rapidly evolving world”.
University of Bristol Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Evelyn Welch, commented: “We are delighted to be working with Gravity and Bridgwater & Taunton College. We see Gravity as a strategic opportunity and key gateway to progressive research and development aligned with addressing the climate emergency, and to enabling training and careers in energy futures. We look forward to working with new occupiers to understand their workforce needs and to develop solutions with the college. The University can support the college and help play a key role in linking to other higher education providers to ensure we optimise the collective strengths of the region”.
Attendees included: Vice Chancellor of University of Bristol, Professor Evelyn Welch; Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) of the University of Bristol, Professor Phil Taylor; Director – Planning & Economic Development at This is Gravity, Claire Pearce; Principal & Chief Executive of Bridgwater & Taunton College, Andy Berry and Vice Principal – Strategy & Partnerships of Bridgwater & Taunton College, Matt Tudor, and Nicky Sendell- Vice Principal.
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.
Gravity has a Skills Charter which requires employment and skills plans for occupiers and there is an obligation for occupiers to work with BTC to focus on the recruitment and training of local people.
Bridgwater & Taunton College is located in the heart of Somerset, with campuses located Bridgwater, Taunton and Cannington. It is a chartered institute for education, which is a clear mark of excellence which shows potential new students and employers that an education provider is a centre of supreme quality in the areas of governance, leadership, professional development, teaching practice and community impact.
BTC is the lead on workforce development strategy for Gravity and will engage with occupiers and match local people to opportunities and training pathways.
Excellence is reflected in the number of prestigious, nationally recognised awards held, including a SEMTA award, TES FE Apprenticeship Programme of the Year Award, Lion Award, Queen’s Anniversary Prize and a TEF Silver Award.
The University is ranked within the top 10 universities in the UK and 55th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2024); it is also ranked among the top five institutions in the UK for its research, according to analysis of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021; and is the 4th most targeted university by top UK employers.
The University was founded in 1876 and was granted its Royal Charter in 1909. It was the first university in England to admit women on the same basis as men.
The University is a major force in the economic, social and cultural life of Bristol and the region, but is also a significant player on the world stage. It has over 20,000 undergraduates and over 7,000 postgraduate students from more than 150 countries, and its research links span the globe.
Gravity, the UK’s first commercial smart campus, is pleased to announce its continued sponsorship of the ‘Environmental and Sustainability Award’ at the Somerset Business Awards. This marks the fourth consecutive year of their support.
Organised by the Somerset Chamber of Commerce, the Somerset Business Awards celebrate the remarkable achievements of local individuals and businesses. They commend the significant impact these entities have on environmental protection as the world progresses towards a net-zero future.
Following the impressive entries and the eventual winner of 2023, ‘PVA Hygiene Limited’, Gravity’s Programme Director and award judge, Paul Lowndes, eagerly anticipates well-rounded and evidence-based submissions of Somerset companies this year.
This year’s award entries opened on September 12th and will conclude on November 24th. The ceremony is scheduled for March 22, 2024. Participation in the awards is free, and businesses are not required to be members of the Somerset Chamber to participate. This year, the awards have introduced two new categories: the Manufacturing and Engineering Award, and the Business Resilience and Growth Award.
Click here for more information on the Environmental & Sustainability Award.
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.
