It was a pleasure to join the Great South West (GSW) team in Parliament on 18th March 2025 to champion investment opportunities in the region and drive forward economic growth. Our message was clear: the South West has a significant role to play in delivering the Industrial Strategy for the UK, so let’s see this more clearly reflected in the final strategy.
Tim Jones, Chairman of the GSW Internationalisation Board launched the Great South West Investment Prospectus – Investment Opportunities 2025, together with esteemed guests including Sir John Armitt- Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, Jessica Toale MP (Parliamentary Private Secretary to the FCDO, The Rt Hon Mel Stride MP (Shadow Chancellor) and Dave Tansley, Practice Senior Partner at Deloitte.
The prospectus profiles some of the region’s most transformational, investor-ready projects which are set to power economic growth, strengthen global supply chains, and reinforce the region’s status as a major driver of the UK’s net zero transition, economic growth, and national security.
Personally, I was thrilled that both Hinkley Point C and Gravity – Agratas projects in Somerset were included to evidence track record in investment management and delivery in the South West, as well as supply chain and skills development. University Centre Somerset and Bridgwater and Taunton College being at the centre of both skills responses.
So, what next?
Dorset is looking to the future and is ambitious for its communities. The Dorset Clean Energy Super Cluster will drive net zero innovation, with investments in offshore wind, wind hub port facilities, hydrogen import and storage, carbon capture and storage and nuclear, set to unlock £28 billion of international investment in the UK, providing up to 3GW of clean power and abating a gigatonne of carbon from industrial emitters.
Dorset is ready to support Floating Offshore Wind in the Celtic Sea to generate up to 4.5GW of electricity, hosting supply chains and services through port facilities, and expand this into the English Channel.
I must also highlight the ‘reset’ for Taunton and Wellington as part of the M5 Growth Corridor. Building on garden town status, and the success of Hinkley C and Gravity, there is now an open dialogue on growth and economic restructuring opportunities. In2West, a new group led by MP Gideon Amos launched its ambition to ‘supercharge’ the area as a route to igniting market interest in commercial growth.
All industrial and commercial projects providing a strong platform for devolution in the Wessex area.
The Great South West Partnership will take these world-class investment opportunities to UKREiiF (the UK’s Real Estate, Investment & Infrastructure Forum) in May, meeting with investors and global partners to secure transformational investment and align regulatory processes so we can deliver.