All RDAs across England are closing by March 2012
(see transition and closure section).
With our resources reducing steadily, this page has not been recently updated and the information below may not be current.
If in doubt, please contact us directly.
Major projects keep economy moving
A number of exciting projects supported by the South West RDA
have reached major milestones, paving the way for them to transform
the economic prospects of the region as we emerge from the
recession.
The RDA announced in June last year that budget cuts and the
effect of the downturn had reduced its budget by £56
million over two years. A prioritised set of investments was
confirmed and excellent progress has been made with every project.
We have been innovating and finding new ways of working with
development partners and other stakeholders to make our reduced
money go further. In many cases this has meant signed agreements
being put in place with public and private sector partners or the
acquisition or disposal of various sites.
In addition to our multi-million pound investments in
region-wide programmes, (providing direct support to businesses in
urban and rural areas, and helping secure a modern and low carbon
economy in the South West), recent projects include:
Cornwall
On top of our continued ‘match-funding’ of European investments
under the Convergence programme and the successful
opening of the St Austell town centre development
(which has been shortlisted for a Property Week ‘Sustainability
Award’), the RDA has just recently seen onshore drilling completed
at the Wave
Hub site, and completed a £5m investment into a new
marine energy business park in Hayle,
which will support 190 jobs.
Devon and Somerset
Plymouth’s position as a global centre of excellence for
science, innovation and marine energy research was recently boosted
by a £25 million investment in new facilities through the
Plymouth Science and Innovation
Programme (PSIP) - a partnership led by the RDA,
University of Plymouth and Plymouth City Council. PSIP will create
new jobs, businesses and economic success from science and
innovation activities in marine renewables, engineering, marine
science and other technologies.
Persimmon Homes, Hallam Land Management, Redrow Homes and Taylor
Wimpey Homes have all signed a conditional agreement with the RDA
to deliver three crucial elements of infrastructure at the
new community at
Cranbrook, east of Exeter. These are the
proposed bypass at Clyst Honiton, the first primary school at
Cranbrook and the main distributor road through the new
community.
The RDA has also completed investments in the National
Skills Academy for Nuclear in Bridgwater and the
Flybe Skills Academy outside
Exeter.
West of England
Work on the science park for Bristol and Bath –
‘SPark’ – is expected to start after Easter, subject
to the RDA’s development partner Quantum letting two contracts, to
install essential infrastructure and build the first phase of
buildings at the park. The RDA announced a further £10
million investment in SPark in February, taking the total RDA
commitment to £40 million – its largest single investment
ever.
SPark will be home to the UK’s National
Composites Centre - a brand new research facility for
composite materials which has just won a £5m ‘grand challenge’
competition organised by the Technology Strategy Board.
The site at Locking has now been sold, as planned,
to the Homes and Communities Agency to be developed for housing and
employment opportunities.
Gloucester
The Agency has acquired three sites in the
Blackfriars area of the city with partners
Gloucestershire County Council and the Gloucester Heritage Urban
Regeneration Company. The purchases represent another piece
of the jigsaw falling into place to support the ongoing
regeneration of the city.
The Agency has also sold land at 4-6 Commercial
Road, Gloucester to allow the county council to take
forward a £5 million Language Immersion Centre at Blackfriars
Priory.
And just recently the RDA completed a land deal to allow
development to proceed at Dursley, where a new NHS hospital is
being planned.
Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole
The Olympic sailing venue at Osprey Quay has
continued to develop with
LOCOG last month confirming temporary Olympic accommodation for
athletes and officials during the 2012 Games. The £4m Portland
House facility was also recently handed over to the Royal Yachting
Association, and this will be the hub of performance sailing in the
run up to, and during the Games.
Swindon and Wiltshire
An injection of £2.8 million into the regeneration of
Swindon town centre has helped to ensure that improvements
to the town centre have real momentum, as well as creating
construction jobs during the recovery from recession. Other
projects, including preparations for a new visitor centre
at Stonehenge are progressing well.
Chief Executive, Jane Henderson, said: “The last 12 months has been
very difficult for businesses across the region, and the depth of
the recession has affected the public sector too. Although the RDA
was forced to review its budget last spring, we’ve remained
committed to a range of projects that are already starting to
deliver real benefits – that means new jobs, job security,
high-level skills and the opportunity to innovate and create
prosperity.
“And within the next few months we will be reaching more
milestones, with our investment in a consortium of companies
exploiting the potential for unpiloted aerial vehicles, keeping the
South West at the forefront of aerospace development.
“Wave Hub will be in the water later this year, which combined
with the marine renewables plans for Plymouth presents the region
with a real advantage in the low carbon marine industry, which is
set to grow enormously in the years ahead.
“We recognise how hard the businesses and communities of our
region have had it over the last year, but I am determined that the
RDA will continue to deliver real opportunity and benefit for the
people of the South West as we head into a crucial phase of our
recovery.”
Ends
[More info on the TSB award -
www.innovateuk.org/content/news/boost-for-advanced-manufacturing-uk-business-conso]