Plans to create up to 1,300 jobs on a major regeneration site near Bath have taken a step forward, with the regional combined authority approving £9m to pay for infrastructure projects.
The funds will help unlock access to the Somer Valley Enterprise Zone (SVEZ), a 13.5-hectare greenfield site on the western edge of Midsomer Norton, pictured.
Bath & North East Somerset Council (B&NES) believes the SVEZ, which was granted Enterprise Zone status in 2017, can provide a sustainable and attractive location for new businesses and companies looking to scale up.
It will include 36,000 sq m of commercial space, new roads with cycleways and footpaths, and water drainage infrastructure.
The £9m funding, approved by a committee of the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), will be used by B&NES to develop a full business case by September next year, with WECA saying it is expected to deliver a very high return on investment once the project is completed.
West of England Mayor Dan Norris, who heads WECA, welcomed the decision to invest, saying that bringing jobs and businesses into the West of England was a high priority.
“We need the highest quality infrastructure to attract investment to our region and this is what the Somer Valley Enterprise Zone will deliver,” he added.
“The companies that move there will bring hundreds of jobs into the local economy, bringing opportunity for local people, close to home.”
SVEZ is one of two enterprise zones in the B&NES areas, the other being the Bath City Enterprise Zone, which includes the Bath Quays North and South developments.
