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Gravity forms part of a multi-site Heart of the South West Enterprise Zone. This brownfield site located near Puriton just off Junction 23 of the M5 was once home to the Royal Ordnance Factory.

Gravity Enterprise ZoneVisionProgressBenefitsPartnersMore informationDocuments

Gravity Enterprise Zone

Gravity forms part of a multi-site Heart of the South West Enterprise Zone. This brownfield site located near Puriton just off Junction 23 of the M5 was once home to the Royal Ordnance Factory.

On 22 December 2021, the council agreed a Local Development Order for Gravity. This was subject to detailed technical work and signing of the Section 106 agreement.

To view the relevant documents please visit our Gravity Local Development Order page.

The Zone was allocated in the Autumn Statement in 2015 and formally activated in April 2017. It forms part of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership portfolio of Enterprise Zones. These are Gravity, Oceansgate, SkyPark, Exeter Science Park, Exeter Airport and Cranbrook town centre.

Gravity has been designated by the council as a strategic location for growth in the area. The Supplementary Planning Document for the site prepared in 2012 outlines likely sectors and end users to be located within the site. Subsequent planning permission obtained by the site owners in 2013 reinforces low carbon and energy generation aspiration for the site. In July 2020, the council decided to pursue a Local Development Order for the site to attract inward investment and align planning with the vision and ambition for the site.

Gravity is one of ten projects in the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership area awarded funding through Growth Deal. £3.94 million worth of funding, announced in February 2017, will be used to assist with the building of a new road which will improve access to the site.

Vision

Gravity will be an immersive, connected, intelligent and sustainable mixed-use campus. And will be home to the World’s most innovative companies.

Purpose built, diverse workspaces and resilient technologies will be set against an established natural landscape. And will support a culture of innovation and well-being that blurs the boundaries between work and play. Gravity will be designed to shape connections between people and the places they work for a cleaner, more sustainable future.

For more information about the vision and latest news visit this website: This Is Gravity

Progress

On 11 June 2019, a ground-breaking ceremony took place to officially start the construction of the link road, which will connect the site to the M5 at Junction 23. Once the road is completed the development of the site will commence.

Alun Griffiths was appointed as the main contractor for the delivery of the Link Road. The road construction has progressed well despite delays due to the national outbreak of coronavirus. The road opened in October 2021.

You can read more about the Gravity Link Road on the Smart Campus website.

Benefits

The Enterprise Zone status will provide a range of incentives to attract and support businesses that are setting up or growing on site, including simplified planning procedures.

Additional income from business rates generated on site over its lifetime will be reinvested locally to further support economic growth. This will help to improve the future success of the Zone and the wider area. This will be achieved through the local authorities and key stakeholders working alongside partners such as the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership.

Partners

The Gravity Enterprise Zone is backed by the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership and Somerset Council.

More information

What an Enterprise Zone means

An Enterprise Zone is a Government’s tool to accelerate the delivery of jobs and business growth. The status is awarded by Government for a period of 25 years to speed up delivery of employment sites and to attract inward investment into an area.

Incentives an Enterprise Zone can offer to businesses

Current legislation includes several incentives to businesses relocating to an Enterprise Zone area – simplified planning process and potential to use Local Development Orders, reduction in business rates for up to five years or Enhanced Capital Allowance. In addition, all business rates collected from an Enterprise Zone are retained and reinvested locally providing a further boost to the local economy.

Gravity planning permission

The site currently has an outline planning consent for 222 acres of commercial development, including a mixture of uses. The link road has full planning consent, allowing construction of the road to be one of the first things to be built.

Huntspill Energy Park

Huntspill Energy Park was bought by Salamanca Group in 2017. A year later they revealed new branding and a new concept for this old Royal Ordnance Factory site. Gravity will be an immersive, connected, mixed-use development hosting the World’s most innovative companies. The site will be a showcase for Clean Growth for the South West.

How the site will be marketed

This Is Gravity Ltd, the owner and the developer of the site, have appointed commercial agents who will be directly responsible for marketing of the site. The council, as a delivery partner, will also promote Gravity as a key employment site through its Economic Development Team.

Opportunities for local people and businesses

The council and This Is Gravity Ltd are committed to creating jobs and commercial opportunities for local people and businesses. There is a Local Labour Agreement in place, which means there is a requirement to fill jobs created during the construction and operational phases with local people.

When the site will be fully developed

Under current plans the site has a 15-20 years build out programme.

Clean Growth

In its Industrial Strategy the Government has identified four Grand Challenges, one of them being Clean Growth. The definition says it is “growing our national income while cutting greenhouse gas emissions”. It will involve new technologies to reduce energy consumption, more efficient buildings but also a behavioural change in how all of us use energy in our day-to-day lives.

Last reviewed: January 12, 2024 by Jenny

Next review due: July 12, 2024

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