Work on Bath’s long-awaited Quays South office development has been given a boost with financial support from a government scheme aimed at getting Britain building in the post-Covid era.
The scheme, pictured, which will bring 90,000 sq ft of much-needed grade A and creative office space to the city, is included on a seven-strong list of projects across the West of England to benefit from investment through the Getting Building Fund.
Other schemes sharing the £13.7m pot are the creation of a ‘centre of excellence’ in the region for open research and innovation into future Industrial Internet of Things.
This will link key academic, research and economic locations such as the Bristol & Bath Science Park, which is co-owned by the University of Bath, the National Composites Centre and the Bristol Robotics Lab and FutureSpace innovation hub at the University of the West of England (UWE).
Also included is a one-way high street in Keynsham town centre which will prioritise and walking and cycling with dedicated space and new public realm.
The funding has been secured by regional Metro Mayor Tim Bowles through the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) and Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
WECA said in total the seven projects would create or safeguard 2,403 jobs with a further 153 during construction. More than 265 businesses will benefit from work linked to the projects.
The Bath Quays South element will pay for enabling infrastructure and reclaiming brownfield land for the development of new offices and creative workspaces. No financial breakdown of the funding per project has been made.
Mayor Bowles, pictured, said: “Through our economic recovery and renewal from Covid-19, I am accelerating my ambitious plans for the West of England.
“By securing this new funding from the government, we are able to get these projects moving so they can make a real and tangible difference to our local communities.”
He said the projects were anticipated to improve connectivity across the region through significant transport works, investment in digital connectivity, bringing together academic research and economic sites, and regeneration to revitalise town centres and high streets.
WECA will administer the money alongside Local Growth Fund investments made through the LEP, whose chair, Prof Steve West, added: “As one of the most productive regions in the UK, the West of England is key to leading the national recovery. This latest funding from government recognises the important role we play.
“We are working together to ensure that we rebuild on the strengths of our economy and we remain focused on our longer-term ambitions for clean growth that benefits every resident.”
Enabling works have already started on Bath Quays South, including a new pedestrian and cycling bridge spanning the Avon.
Bath & North East Somerset Council is funding a 45,000 sq ft office scheme on the site, which is already being marketed to potential occupiers from Bath and further afield.
A further 45,000 sq ft of offices is to be developed in the historic Newark Works by regeneration specialists TCN, with space likely to be suitable for small firms in the city’s burgeoning creative and digital sectors – of which there is also a severe shortage at present.
The bridge will link to the Bath Quays North scheme where 200,000 sq ft of office space will be developed and available from around 2023.
Both developments form part of Bath’s Enterprise Zone and are expected to create around 9,000 jobs as firms move to the sites.
Other projects making up the seven to benefit from the Getting Building Fund money include a new railway station next to the existing Portway park and ride site on the Severn Beach Line, near Bristol.
The £900m Getting Building Fund aims to deliver jobs, skills and infrastructure across the country and is being targeted at ‘shovel-ready’ infrastructure projects in areas facing the biggest economic challenges as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
