Discover
The Campus
The Team
Resources
Community
Enquire

Smart
Campus

Why Gravity
Our Story
Resources
Community
Invest
Contact

News

Nominations are Now Open for the Pride of Somerset Youth Awards 2024

by
Somerset Youth Awards 2024

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 portal here. 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

Notes to Editors

For more information, please contact prideofsomersetyouthawards@gmail.com or call 01278 441216.

Gravity welcomes Government recognition of LDO as a Transformation Tool

by

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.”

The full speech can be read here.

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.

Bridgwater & Taunton College and University of Bristol boost Gravity’s workforce development

by

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.

-END-

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.

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.

About Bridgwater & Taunton College

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.

About the University of Bristol

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 sponsors ‘Environmental & Sustainability Award’ at Somerset Business Awards 2024

by

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.

Click here for entry information.

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.

Gravity congratulates Bounce Forward on its partnership with the Harry Kane Foundation

by
Gravity congratulates Bounce Forward on its partnership announcement with The Harry Kane Foundation

This is Gravity is proud to share the World Mental Health Day announcement that Bounce Forward has entered a far-reaching partnership with the Harry Kane Foundation. Their shared mission is to inspire and transform a generation’s thinking about mental health and how to nurture and build psychological fitness.

The partnership will provide free psychological fitness training and educational resources, designed to nurture and build mental resilience, and emotional wellbeing, proven to have a positive impact. These resources will be available in schools, workplaces, and to a broader audience through Harry’s influence, platforms, and networks, with the goal of promoting positive mental health across generations.

The partnership kicks off with 17 schools across nine regions in England gaining access to Bounce Forward’s Healthy Minds teaching resources, featuring bespoke content co-authored by Harry and his wife, Kate Kane.

Gravity introduced Bounce Forward to Bridgwater in 2021 as an integrated part of its transformational strategy to create a new era of employment. During the pandemic, Gravity worked with Bounce Forward to support local schools and young people and initiated a ‘Gravity Young People’s Design Competition’ in collaboration with MOBIE.

To date, Bounce Forward has trained 229 teachers across 10 schools, including; Bridgwater & Taunton College, Bridgwater & Taunton College Academy, Quantock Education Trust (4 schools), Puriton Primary, North Petherton Primary, Willowdown, North Newton Community Primary. Bounce Forward has also reached 215 local families through their ‘Raise Resilience’ online course.  

In parallel with Bounce Forward, Gravity is driving further social value outcomes through its ‘Sphero’ initiative with Bridgwater United Football Club (BUFC) Community Trust, promoting STEM opportunities by using football as a medium to develop skills in coding and robotics.

Bridgwater and Taunton College Trust is one of the 17 schools involved from the outset of the Bounce Forward & Harry Kane Foundation partnership, it is the only Multi-Academy Trust at launch. Bounce Forward will work with all 6 schools within the trust (3 secondaries and 3 primaries) through a central strategy.

Gravity looks forward to exploring how our community stakeholders can achieve the optimum outcomes for young people through these exciting initiatives with Bounce Forward and BUFC.

This is Gravity, Director – Planning & Economic Development, Claire Pearce commented: “This announcement is a huge step forward for Bounce Forward and with a supportive institution such as the Harry Kane Foundation I’m sure that it will enable them to reach more young people and help equip them with skills needed to live happier healthier lives, the whole team at Gravity couldn’t be more pleased for them.

To have a local trust included in their launch given our introduction into their area is a huge boost and look forward to seeing what other initiatives local schools can be part of going forward.

Ensuring local young talent develops in a secure and nurturing environment that stimulates emotionally intelligent adults will be part of jigsaw of the requirements for a fulfilled and productive workforce at Gravity for years to come.”

Clare Lewis, Personal Development Lead at Bridgwater & Taunton Trust commented: “Healthy Minds will become an integral part of our Personal Development programme as we build our student’s confidence, resilience and knowledge so that they can keep themselves mentally healthy. The Bounce Forward programme will help to facilitate the development of skills and qualities that will enable our students to become independent and thrive in society.”

Bounce Forward CEO, Lucy Bailey commented: “When it comes to mental health, prevention is so much better than cure, and our psychological health is as important as physical health. It is increasingly challenging to navigate our changing and complex world. For adults, it is hard, for children it is even harder. We need to teach our children, as part of their core education, and there is no better way than with Healthy Minds. Teaching our children about the brain, the role of positive emotions and the value of optimism and human connection is vital learning for the world we live in. We need to help young people not only to deal well with the setbacks they will inevitably face throughout life, but also equip them to embrace opportunities around them. Its impressive evidence base includes improving attendance, which is of growing concern for schools reducing fixed term exclusions as well as improving health and wellbeing outcomes.”

Harry Kane commented: “I’m proud of the work my foundation has achieved over the last year and am excited that we will extend our reach and impact through a new partnership with Bounce Forward. Kate and I have worked closely with Bounce Forward to strengthen their curriculum. Together we have designed lesson plans that support young people to explore how resilience can help them recover from setbacks, deal with challenges and make the most of opportunities. We are supporting Bounce Forward because they are experts in their field and have developed evidence-based resources that align perfectly with our aim of promoting the benefits of positive self-belief and the connection between physical and mental health.”

Somerset Lord Lieutenancy visits Gravity Smart Campus

by

SOMERSET 6 September – The Gravity Smart Campus was pleased to welcome Somerset’s Lord Lieutenant, Mohammed Saddiq, Vice-Lord Lieutenant, Edward (Ted) Allen and Deputy Lieutenants Denis Burn and Martin Thatcher on their fact-finding visit to Gravity.

The Gravity team, accompanied by representatives from Stantec, Bridgwater & Taunton College and Bridgwater United Sports Community Trust welcomed the Lord Lieutenant before providing strategic updates on the progress made on site to date as well as a guided tour of the 616-acre Enterprise Zone.  

Conversations on sustainability, workforce development, social value initiatives and legacy opportunities beyond Hinkley Point C were at the forefront of the visit. Gravity’s low-carbon journey was highlighted by its material management strategy which prioritises re-use, recycling and re-purposing which has significantly reduced the requirement of imported quarried stone.

Andy Berry & Simon Brewer from Bridgwater & Taunton College discussed the college’s infrastructure and their role in the strategic development of new education pathways that would lead local students into jobs at Gravity.

The Lord Lieutenant was involved in a live demonstration of the huge popular Gravity Sphero initiative from Bridgwater United Community Sports Trust, which is has engaged with over 500 local young people since its launch in 2022. This was followed by an introduction into Stantec’s STEM outreach programme which uses Gravity ‘Green Bridge’ as an example to engage children across the key stages about the principles of engineering.

Somerset Larder was in attendance, demonstrating the value of legacy business opportunities beyond Hinkley Point C.

Gravity Director – Planning & Economic Development Claire Pearce commented: “The team was thrilled with the opportunity to host the Somerset Lord Lieutenancy; it was a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the breadth of work that has been undertaken in preparing Gravity to attract large-scale occupiers and specifically showcase the social value initiatives underway in collaboration with our local stakeholders and communities.

We would like to thank the Somerset Lieutenancy for taking the time to visit our site and our consultants and partners who are committed to delivering our respective ESG ambitions on the ground and who made the visit such a success.”

Somerset Lord Lieutenant, Mohammed Saddiq commented: “A wonderful visit that left me inspired and informed about the remarkable sustainability ambitions for the Gravity site. The visit reinforced my belief in the power of sustainable initiatives and their potential to help grow the local economy.”

About Somerset Lord Lieutenancy

The Lord-Lieutenant and all Deputies are volunteers and the titles are honorary. Aside from royal duties, Lord-Lieutenants promote and encourage voluntary and charitable organisations and take an interest in the business, urban and rural and social life of the county. They have wide discretion in how they carry out their tasks and also in those they choose to undertake.

As the sovereign’s representative in his or her area, the Lord-Lieutenant remains non-political and does not hold office in any political party. It is their foremost duty to uphold the dignity of the Crown. In so doing, they seek to promote a spirit of co-operation and good atmosphere by supporting voluntary and benevolent organisations and by the interest they take in all aspects of business and social life of their counties.

About Gravity

Gravity will be the UK’s first commercial smart campus and a blueprint for a ‘cleaner’, smarter future. It aims to attract the world’s most innovative companies working in the ‘clean growth’ sectors.

Expected to create up to 7,500 jobs, the 616-acre Enterprise Zone will be designed to shape connections between people and the places in which they work, supporting a culture of innovation and wellbeing. It will include diverse, flexible workspaces and resilient technologies along with enhanced transport links to, and within, the surrounding area.

Gravity Smart Campus honoured at the Planning Awards 2023

by

The Gravity Smart Campus, a 616-acre enterprise zone expected to generate up to 7,500 jobs, has been recognised at the 2023 National Planning Awards. The awarding ceremony, in its ninth year, was hosted at the renowned IET Savoy Place on June 8th.

This is Gravity Ltd, supported by consultants Stantec and the wider team received a Highly Commended commendation for the Gravity Local Development Order (LDO) under two critical categories:

  • Planning Permission of the Year Award
  • Promoting Economic Growth Award

These commendations highlighted the design, development of the planning application, and the successful adoption of the Gravity LDO, enabling strategic outcomes for the UK as well as local communities.

The LDO serves as a potent marketing instrument, attracting international inward investment and high-paying jobs, new supply chain opportunities, all underpinned with world-class training and education. Moreover, the adaptive planning framework facilitates the delivery of custom occupier requirements within set strategic and flexible parameters.

This is Gravity also extended heartfelt congratulations to Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP for their distinguished Planning Award accomplishments. The firm clinched the ‘Planning Law Firm of the Year Award’, a testament to their outstanding legal contributions to the Gravity LDO and Compulsory Purchase Order, as well as other significant planning projects for other clients.

The judges commented, “…The scope of legal work and the complexities involved across these high-profile projects is genuinely astounding.”

Claire Pearce, This is Gravity’s Director – Planning & Economic Development, said, “We are delighted to have received ‘Highly Commended’ recognition from the Planning Awards 2023 in these two vital categories, especially amidst such strong competition. This is Gravity wish to extend sincere thanks to all who played a role in the development and adoption of the Gravity LDO. The process required vision, leadership, robust evidence, innovated assessment tools and multi-disciplinary team work to shape solutions to regenerate and transform a contaminated site into a transformational opportunity”.

We strongly believe that the major, international, advanced manufacturers we are currently engaging with, would be less likely to establish their operations at Gravity in the South West of the UK, had it not been for the adoption of the Gravity LDO by the progressive local authority, the former Sedgemoor District Council (now Somerset Council).”

About Gravity

Gravity will be the UK’s first commercial smart campus and a blueprint for a ‘cleaner’, smarter future. It aims to attract the world’s most innovative companies working in the ‘clean growth’ sectors.

Expected to create up to 7,500 jobs, the 616-acre Enterprise Zone will be designed to shape connections between people and the places in which they work, supporting a culture of innovation and wellbeing. It will include diverse, flexible workspaces and resilient technologies along with enhanced transport links to, and within, the surrounding area.

Gravity Green Bridge Shortlisted for Best Project at RTPI South West Awards

by

This is Gravity Ltd is proud to share that the Gravity ‘Green Bridge‘ has been shortlisted for the ‘Best Project’ award at that the Royal Town Planning Institute South West Awards for Planning Excellence 2023.

The wider Gravity team including Stantec, The Richards Partnership, LDA Design, Ecology Solutions and Alun Griffiths Contractors who worked together to plan and deliver this unique piece of highway infrastructure are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the winners.

The Gravity Green Bridge is up against for the ‘Best Project’ Award:

  • Les Quennevais Skatepark
  • Hall for Cornwall (Truro)
  • Water Lane Smart Grid and Storage Project

The RTPI South West Award ceremony for Winners and Commendations will take place on July 3rd at the Somerset County Cricket Ground in Taunton. All the South West Regional Awards local winning entries will be put forward for the national awards. The national shortlist will be announced on 9 October. 

Further information

  • Tickets for the July 3rd can be found here.
  • Read the RTPI South West Awards press release here.
  • Click here to watch the ‘Green Bridge’ and ‘Enterprise Way’ road scheme come to life.

Gravity and other transformational South West opportunities are to be shared at this year’s UKREiiF

by

The Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) will be promoting Gravity and other transformational opportunities to investors at the national investment and infrastructure forum, UKREiiF, in Leeds on 16th – 18th May.

The annual forum is designed to attract inward investment, generate economic growth, and drive a more sustainable and inclusive culture within the property and construction industries.

The Heart of the South West LEP will be attending the show to highlight the South West’s key aviation, maritime and business investment opportunities.

David Ralph, Chief Executive of the Heart of the South West LEP, said: “We’re looking forward to presenting a number of transformational opportunities to investors at this year’s UKREiiF, from our world-leading aviation test zone, to our new Freeport. Our region offers a fantastic place to develop new and emerging technologies and businesses, with strengths in marine, data science, aerospace, clean energy, photonics, agriculture, defence and many more.”

Opportunities being presented at the event include the South West’s Future Aviation Test Zone, Smart Sound Plymouth, the new Plymouth and South Devon Freeport and Gravity, the UK’s first smart campus.

Located over 600 acres in Somerset, Gravity is one of the largest oven-ready sites in the UK. With direct access to the M5, international airports, freight and rail terminals, this Enterprise Zone offers unique flexibility for forward-thinking companies.

Claire Pearce, Director of Planning & Economic Development at Gravity, said: “Gravity is geared to hosting international investment for UK plc, enabling a transformational step change in the transport decarbonisation efforts. Driven by a clean and inclusive growth vision, the Gravity Smart Campus will create up to 7,500 high-value jobs in a future-facing industry, stimulating economic restructuring and supply chain development. A Local Development Order has enabled us to provide both the scale and flexibility to host a gigafactory – one of 5 needed before 2030 to electrify the UK. We are excited to see how  Gravity will act as a catalyst for wider economic renewal and the transition to Net Zero.”

Find out more about UKREiiF: https://www.ukreiif.com/

Find out more about the Heart of the South West LEP: https://heartofswlep.co.uk/

Read the full press release here.

ENDS

About The Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership
The Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership – covering Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay – is one of the 38 LEPs in England. The Heart of the South West LEP is a business-led partnership between the private sector, local authorities, universities and colleges.

About Gravity

Gravity will be the UK’s first commercial smart campus and a blueprint for a ‘cleaner’, smarter future. It aims to attract the world’s most innovative companies working in the ‘clean growth’ sectors.

Expected to create up to 7,500 jobs, the 616-acre Enterprise Zone will be designed to shape connections between people and the places in which they work, supporting a culture of innovation and wellbeing. It will include diverse, flexible workspaces and resilient technologies along with enhanced transport links to, and within, the surrounding area.

March 2023 Newsletter

by

March 2023 Newsletter Highlights

  • Local Skills Improvement Plan
  • Gravity Sphero STEM initiative
  • Stantec STEM promotion in local schools
  • Quantock Education Trust 
  • Bristol Bordeaux Trade Delegation
  • FSB Sustainability Achievement Award
  • Panel on the future of the South West’s economy
  • Great South West Partnership events
  • Gravity on Digital Somerset podcast
  • Puriton Park playground open to the public
  • Gravity receives Bat House built by local college students

Local Skills Improvement Plan

Gravity was pleased to attend the launch event for the Local Skills Improvement Plan with the Somerset Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Skills will be a vital part of workforce development to meet future occupier needs. Working closely with Bridgwater and Taunton College, and wider partners, Gravity has inputted into the plan development process to ensure we promote international investment in Somerset, to connect training and employment opportunities to local businesses and communities.

Following on from our work with Bounce Forward – teaching and providing support on emotional resilience in schools – and the design competition with MOBIE to seek out creativity and talent in design, Gravity is delighted to now be working on a new skills initiative.

Gravity Sphero STEM initiative reaches over 500 local children in Bridgwater 

Gravity is proud to share that within two school terms since its launch, the Gravity Sphero STEM initiative has reached over 500 children and young people in Bridgwater, delivered through Bridgwater United Community Trust.

Weekly sessions are delivered in Woolavington, East Huntspill and the surrounding areas, across term-time school deliveries, afterschool clubs and various holiday camps. 

Read more

Stantec –  Lego ‘Green’ Bridge 

Gravity consultant, Stantec has been reaching into local schools as part of their environmental and social governance commitment. Stantec are introducing children at Northgate and Willowdown Primary Schools to the opportunities of engineering, through its Lego Bridge Building activity. This mirrors and translates the Gravity ‘green bridge’ into a school environment to connect children into the built environment and stimulate interest in potential future careers.  

Stantec’s team were impressed by the year 3 students’ enthusiasm. The teams started thinking about the wider engineering design, for example, lighting, safety and amenity.

Stantec is delighted to have been invited back to run the activity again for years 3-6 for Northgate Primary School.

Miss Bailey: “Thank you so much for such a fantastic afternoon yesterday! The children absolutely loved it and learned lots too. I think we might have some budding engineers in our class now! “

Bounce Forward furthers positive impact with Quantock Education Trust INSET day 

Bounce Forward, the UK-based education charity that Gravity introduced to local schools in 2021 to deliver its evidence-backed resilience curriculum is continuing to have a positive impact locally. In February, Bounce Forward hosted an INSET DAY programme for the Quantock Education Trust- the day was a space for discussion and exploring shared values as a team.

The session was designed to help build a sense of belonging, showing trust and care for each member of staff. Ideas shared on the day would be useful personally and encourage a shared language framework for problem-solving. This could then be applied as staff engage with each other, with students and with parents. The programme received hugely positive feedback from attendees. Learn more about the day and Bounce Forward by visiting the link below.

Bounce Forward case study

Claire Pearce attends trade delegation as part of the 75th-anniversary twinning of Bristol with Bordeaux 

As part of our Business Charter, Gravity is committed to championing the South West, promoting economic development opportunities and accelerating progress on sustainability and climate adaption.

In February, our Director of Planning & Economic Development, Claire Pearce met a Bordeaux Trade Delegation hosted by Business West. This was part of a wider visit celebrating the 75th anniversary of the twinning between Bristol and Bordeaux. An MoU was signed between the University of Bristol and the University of Bordeaux. 

This was the first visit to Bristol by Bordeaux officials with the aim of sharing learning on issues of mutual interest specifically in relation to climate change and clean growth; to strengthen existing ties e.g., between the two universities, and to explore future collaboration around trade, investment and community links.

Gravity awards Feritech Ltd with Sustainability Achievement Award

For the third year in a row, Gravity sponsored the ‘Sustainability Achievement Award’ for the Federation of Small Businesses South West.

This year our Programme Director, Paul Lowndes, awarded it to Feritech Limited, a Cornwall-based engineering and technology company for their holistic approach to the development of their £3m purpose-built Innovation Center.

Read more

Claire Pearce joins panel on the future of the South West’s economy

Our Director of Planning & Economic Development Claire Pearce was invited to be a panelist to participate in the discussion ‘What lies ahead for the South West’s Economy?’ hosted by The Business Desk. This was their first-panel discussion for the region. 

The panel discussed what sets the South West apart, what could be done to make it easier for businesses to prosper, the challenges facing firms when it comes to employing the very best talent and what needs to be done to make the region even more attractive to investors. The panel consisted of representatives from Western Gateway, Saffery Champness, Womble Dickinson Bond and Marsh Commercial. 

Learn more about Business Desk here.


Great South West Partnership events 

The Great South West Partnership will be running a series of local launch events over the next 6 months or so across Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset to share the Great South West’s emerging ambitions and priorities for the region. The first event was hosted in Taunton, Somerset on 29 March. Over the coming months, events will also be held in Cornwall, Devon, and Dorset.

For more information on the events, click here.

Paul Lowndes discusses Gravity’s digital connectivity on Digital Somerset Podcast

Gravity Programme Director, Paul Lowndes was invited to speak on Digital Somerset’s podcast where he discusses how central ‘digital’ is to the development, Paul explains how digital technologies are enabling Gravity to accurately monitor its sustainability journey. Aspects monitored include the amount of imported recycled stone from National Grid T-pylon sites and the LiDAR drone scans of the site tracking exactly where that stone has been placed. 

Paul also detailed the benefits of Gravity’s digital connectivity, through its resilient Dark Fibre supply and the recent 5G Logistics test bed that directly connects Gravity to Bristol Port. 

Full interview found here.

Gravity’s funding enables Puriton park playground open to the public 

Gravity has been pleased to work with Sedgemoor District Council to fund the delivery of a new and improved local play area for Purtion Park, located on Manse Lane. The new playground opened to the public on Friday 17th March. It consists of a bespoke play tower with a slide that can accommodate 24 children aged 2 and up, with an additional 3m x 1m trampoline suitable for all abilities and accommodates a wheelchair.

Aligned with Gravity’s ambition for clean growth and its commitment to environmental and social governance, sustainably sourced materials for the playground were a priority, the dark teal panels and posts were made from 100% post-consumer ocean recycled waste and 100% recycled textiles respectively. 

Gravity worked in close partnership with Puriton Parish Council and Sedgemoor District Council to make this community asset a reality. This is part of Gravity’s ongoing commitment to creating social value locally, ensuring that our legacy initiative to replace and enhance children’s play equipment beyond the existing 37 Club.

As a next step on legacy delivery, our consultants Keystone have kindly volunteered to help Puriton Parish Council to clear land for the new assault course. With further Gravity funding to match other local resources, the Parish will now be able to commission this new facility for older children.

Local college built Bat House delivered to Gravity

Last month Gravity took delivery of a new Bat House which was built in partnership with Bridgwater & Taunton College (BTC) and our Ecology Clerk of Works, Ecology Solutions.

BTC students on Construction programmes at the Taunton campus constructed the Bat-house and their Welding students on an ECITB Welding Scholarship manufactured the steel frame to make it transportable and mobile. The guide specification and further expert support was supplied by Ecology Solutions.

Having real projects for students to work on gives them a great sense of achievement and participation in the local community, as well as a chance to test out their newly acquired skills.

The Bat House is designed to provide a safe and secure habitat for the bats and ensures that this important species can continue to thrive in the local ecosystem

Useful Links

Gravity updates

I want to receive emails about:

#ThisisGravity

Icon-linked-icon
  • This is Gravity Limited 2025
Twitter
Linkedin-in

We're sorry to see you go!



Download our brochure

The site uses cookies to enhance your user experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Find out more.

Got It

Company Name

Text about the company etc…

www.linktowebsite.com