Drivers of growth

The West of England is home to over 1.2m people, and our population is growing at a faster rate than the national average. By 2040, our population is projected to grow by 9%, double the English average. We’re a place geared to the future.

The region has a highly skilled workforce. 56% of people have the higher-level qualifications that employers are looking for. Our thriving Everyday Economy is a core ingredient of our economic success and is especially important in our rural and coastal communities.

Our universities play a central role in sustaining and enhancing the Everyday Economy. They are major employers, skills providers, and cultural anchors whose activities directly support health and social care, retail, hospitality and the wider services sectors across the region.

Our world class universities, with their diverse specialisms have brought the region a student population of over 112,000. A large number of graduates choose to stay here to build their future.

With a young, dynamic and highly skilled workforce – we have a crucial building block for growth. People in the West of England live long, healthy lives – with life expectancy above the national average. Young and old alike help make our region a diverse and welcoming place.

More than 90% of residents live in the towns and cities that make up our region with 10% living in more rural areas. This mix contributes to the unique feel of the place. As we grow, delivering both rural and urban sustainable economic growth will be vital to maintaining our unique communities.

Across the West of England, more than 92 languages are spoken. We are a place that welcomes and respects the contribution all communities make to our region.

But we know that some people in the West of England face challenges. This Growth Strategy isn’t just about delivering economic growth – it’s about achieving growth in ways that tackle the issues our communities face.

For some young people, the opportunities growth brings are out of reach. While we’re a highly skilled place, educational attainment at GCSE level is below the national average.

And we know that people with disabilities, those living in areas of higher deprivation (such as the parts of Bristol and North Somerset that are among the most deprived 5% in the country), people from racially and ethnically diverse communities and women are more likely to have lower pay and opportunity.

Our Growth Strategy must deliver growth that benefits all, helping tackle the poverty and challenge that some of our communities experience. That means, part of our growth story has to be about creating the conditions that support people right across the region to benefit from the opportunities growth brings.

We know people need access to good transport, housing, digital infrastructure, clean energy, good jobs and more – delivering that is our part of the growth deal.

The West of England is a place people want to live, a place where people can thrive and a place that welcomes new people, businesses and new ideas. Our people are a crucial building block for sustainable economic growth.

Our world-leading universities and industry work together to unlock major advances in AI, quantum, deep tech, and compound semiconductors that power breakthroughs in health, energy, manufacturing, creative-tech and defence.

Research and Development (R&D) and the nurturing and championing of new ideas are at the core of our economic growth. Time and again – ideas that have reshaped our future have been nurtured in the West of England. Our next decade of growth will once again be powered by innovation.

We are pioneers in areas like unlocking the next generation of 6G technology, in AI, in digital engineering, in robotics, in creative technologies and more. The West of England is the place to come if you want to shape the future. We’re built for bold ideas and bold business.

In Bristol University, we are the home of Isambard-AI, the country’s most powerful and sustainable supercomputer, enabled by Nvidia technology based at the Bristol and Bath Science Park in South Gloucestershire.

The capability of the supercomputer will revolutionise the way new ideas are translated – AI is already changing the world; the West of England will remain at the forefront of this transformative technology and by working across academia and industry, we’ll accelerate the real-world application and impact of AI.

And at the University of the West of England cutting-edge research in robotics, digital futures, and immersive technologies, anchored by the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, the UK’s leading and largest academic centre for multi-disciplinary robotics research, strengthens regional leadership in digital and technology and creates opportunities for innovation adoption across industry.

Our universities are centres of research and ideas, but they also play a crucial role in shaping places. The University of Bristol is a driving force behind the Bristol Temple Quarter transformation, anchoring the regeneration with its new Enterprise Campus.

And in Bath, the University will play a key role in shaping the new Bath Riverside Innovation District by bringing in top-level research and a strong culture of innovation. Leading companies and academics will co-locate to accelerate applied research, develop high-value skills pipelines, and translate discovery into commercial and societal impact.

Our unique mix of academic and industry excellence has made the West of England a hotbed for inward investment.

In the past decade, over 45,000 businesses have started-up or scaled-up across our region, many with the support of our universities’ award-winning deeptech incubators in Bath and Bristol. From vertical farming in the agritech sector through to quantum sensing in defence technologies, our R&D strengths are diverse. We’re leading the way as a home that supports industry of the future to evolve and grow.

Business is attracted to the West of England in part because of our deep talent pool – people who are agile, innovative and ready to power growth. It’s a region where smart ideas turn into commercial success.

With a wide and deep range of skills and an innovative mindset, the West of England is a strong investment location. New industries locating here are more likely to succeed.

• The West of England is an international leader in advanced manufacturing with 13 world-leading aerospace companies and a dense supply chain. From that strength, world leading expertise in advanced materials, robotics and net zero engineering has grown.

• Across digital and technology we have globally recognised expertise in Quantum, AI, Cyber, and national security. Advances at the cross-roads of digital and advanced manufacturing that are happening here are changing the world.

• We are home to around 400 companies working in clean energy industries. Over the next decade, we will grow the clean energy sector at pace (including tidal, floating offshore wind and nuclear energy). With our abilities to deliver clean energy innovation at scale – enhanced by our advanced manufacturing strengths, the West of England will be at the heart of the clean energy revolution. This is not only about how we generate clean energy, but also how we use it: from decarbonising transport and homes to powering advanced industries in more sustainable ways. It’s also about the ideas we create and export around the world. Our sectors are working together to deliver the clean energy revolution that is fundamental to our future.

• The West of England is a major player in the UK’s film and TV production sector – ranked as the third-largest in the UK. As home to the BBC natural history unit, C4, and a thriving community of independent production houses, the West of England is a partner in the UK Government’s Creative Places Growth Fund and will be scaling up this sector over the next decade. On the Creative Tech side our blending of world-class digital talent with cutting-edge storytelling, immersive media, and design innovation is a fastgrowing success story.

• Our everyday economy is a bedrock of growth. This is the sector that keeps the region moving, fed, healthy and cared for, educates the next generation, welcomes visitors and more. It’s a crucial component of our growth vision. It can also underpin high growth – such as the innovation in food and drink production that is led from our region.

The West of England is a region where people choose to live, work and invest – to breathe clean air, enjoy our coasts, and draw inspiration from landscapes on their doorstep. Few UK regions offer such close proximity between internationally significant natural assets and high-performing urban centres.

Bristol is an international city, leading the way with bold, creative ideas and thriving green tech and digital sectors. Bath’s UNESCO world heritage site charm draws global visitors and fuels a dynamic knowledge economy. South Gloucestershire is fast becoming a national engine room of advanced manufacturing building on longterm strengths in aerospace and national security, anchoring our region’s future.

And in North Somerset, the coastal draw of the region can be found alongside access to the Mendips National Landscape. Westonsuper-Mare, a major coastal town is growing by around 20%, with a population approaching 85,000 as well as significant economic opportunities.

Our natural beauty inspires creativity – from artists and filmmakers to cultural industries that thrive on the landscapes and stories of the region. This fusion of culture, creativity and environment strengthens the West’s global reputation as a vibrant, liveable region.

But nature here is not just beautiful – it is a high-value economic asset. It attracts millions of tourists each year to our rural and coastal communities, sustains agriculture and food production, and underpins health, productivity and quality of life. By reducing risks from flooding, heat and other climate impacts, our natural assets cut avoidable costs to infrastructure, health and business, while enhancing the long-term asset values of housing and infrastructure. Embedding nature in our growth strategy strengthens housing delivery, improves transport resilience, and boosts workforce skills and wellbeing – helping to solve systemic challenges rather than add to them. Nature also plays a crucial role in the health and wellbeing of residents. It’s central to our growth ambitions.

We are leading the way nationally. The West of England was the first region to produce a Local Nature Recovery Strategy, pioneering how nature recovery can be integrated alongside energy, housing and transport to drive sustainable growth. We’re setting innovative financing mechanisms that blend public and private investment, unlocking the scale of capital required to deliver lasting change and secure resilient growth for generations to come.

The Western Forest is a flagship example of this approach. The UK’s first new national forest in 30 years, spanning the West of England and neighbouring Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, it will create 2,500 hectares of woodland by 2030, ultimately growing to 20 million trees. It will connect communities, deliver climate resilience, support nature recovery and attract private investment, while providing a major visitor attraction – boosting both our environment and our visitor economy.

The West of England’s unique fusion of people, place and nature is a strategic advantage – attracting talent, improving health and wellbeing, boosting productivity, and securing long-term prosperity. Protecting and enhancing our landscapes is not an optional extra: it is integral to our growth story.

Bristol, Bath and the wider region is a hive of creativity. With a thriving Screen Industry, our region is home to iconic shows such as Skins and Doctor Who and the award-winning content from the BBC Natural History Unit. A generation have grown up with Wallace and Gromit – and in Aardman Animation we have a production house that has helped create what is now a world-renowned production centre. These are just some of the reasons that the region has a thriving visitor economy, attracting people to visit from across the UK and the world to invest in our local cultural economy.

With venues like the Bristol Old Vic, Bath Playhouse, the Curzon, Tropicana, Bath Theatre Royal, Bristol Beacon and the new YTL Arena, museums and galleries - the West of England is full of cultural venues that attract artists of all types.

Ours is a region steeped in history, with iconic landmarks such as Bath’s Roman Baths, Bristol’s Clifton Suspension Bridge, and medieval market towns that tell a rich story of trade and craftsmanship. However, the culture here is far from just historical - it is a thriving, contemporary force.

Bristol’s street art, theatre scene, and festivals attract global attention. We’re the home of the UK festival industry. And Bath is a thriving hub for literature and performing arts. The region is known for its community spirit, with grassroots culture, local businesses, independent restaurants, shops and cafés, and a regional food scene that creates a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere. A strong sense of identity and pride connects people. Alongside this our film and TV sector continues to grow, with Bristol’s Bottle Yard Studios hosting major productions that reach audiences around the world.

The region is a creative melting pot. A packed festival programme, museums, art and music that foster community and the sharing of ideas are a fundamental building block of the West. We support one another and champion creativity.
The West of England is alive with visitor experiences that defy convention. Heritage meets innovation across city streets, coastal paths, and countryside escapes. From repurposed industrial spaces to reimagined rural landmarks, the region is turning every corner into a destination.

Developments like The Wave, a world-class inland surfing destination in the South Gloucestershire countryside; and Shredenhams – a unique temporary skate park in the centre of Bristol that is making use of an empty building until planned redevelopment takes place.

With a strong night-time economy, growing range of leisure facilities and a home to major sporting events like the Women’s Rugby World Cup, the West of England is a place where you can never be bored.

Our region is also a hub for sport. From the region’s rugby and football clubs to rowing along the Avon and River Severn, the region celebrates sporting excellence while promoting health and wellbeing for all ages.

Culture and creativity are playing a crucial role in regeneration in the region. For example, in Westonsuper- Mare the re-vamping of the Tropicana, a former Lido that also hosted Banksy’s Dismaland is proving how work and play can be combined to bring both quality of life and economic growth.

Culture, nature, and creativity also underpin our thriving and growing visitor economy.
The visitor economy fuels economic growth by turning cultural capital into commercial opportunity: driving footfall, supporting local jobs, local high streets, our independent businesses, and a diverse food, drink and hospitality sector. The visitor economy is amplifying the West of England’s identity on a national and global stage.
Supporting over 45,000 jobs and contributing nearly £2.5bn annually to the regional economy, tourism is an economic engine that will continuet o be a vital building block of growth.

The West of England is fast gaining recognition as a leading destination for sustainable tourism, where visitors are drawn not just by the landscapes, but by a commitment to low-impact travel. From ecoconscious accommodation to carbon-cutting initiatives woven into the visitor experience, the region is redefining what responsible tourism looks like.

As the action in this plan is delivered, new venues and opportunities will grow. We’ll create spaces for communities to come together and ensure the vibrant curiosity that is a hallmark of our region continues to thrive.
As our regional attractions continue to flourish, and with Bristol Airport serving as a major international gateway, the West of England’s culture, creativity and curiosity will be a growing asset to our growth ambitions.

Create the right conditions for businesses to grow and create jobs in places people can access. That means creating the spaces, access to finance, skills and infrastructure that help businesses move to the next level.

Make public transport accessible and affordable for everyone. It needs to be a tool that opens up opportunity.

Build more homes and improve the quality of existing housing so that everyone is able to live in a safe, warm and affordable home.

Ensure crucial broader infrastructure is in place, including childcare provision.

Ensure that as we grow, we are building resilient places. That means investing in flood defences, greening our urban centres and protecting nature and natural assets that are fundamental to keeping places happy and healthy. Health is fundamental to wealth and the achievement of strong economic growth. As we plan, we will ensure issues such as transport to health centres and alignment with neighbourhood health plans is central to the way we work.

Support workers and businesses in the everyday economy to boost growth, productivity and improve people’s wellbeing and living standards.

Tackle long-term unemployment, long-term deprivation and the child and family poverty that has no place in our forward-looking region.

Ensure a just transition to a green economy.