Business West Commentary on the West of England Growth Strategy

“We congratulate the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority on its compelling proposition for investment and inclusive growth. It provides a clear narrative of what our region could achieve, if we have the right investment.

“This is not our region going cap-in-hand to government, but setting out a strong case to invest in our region, unlock our full potential and contribute to national economic growth.

“We welcome the plan’s commitment to work closely with the business community on this agenda, including establishing a new Business Board. We encourage the authority to ensure a wide spectrum of business and sectors can engage with the board, to ensure it truly reflects our region’s varied business landscape.

“We are pleased to see the plan address long-standing constraints to growth, from mass transit, housing and employment land costs, to grid capacity and skills gaps in key sectors. We have long campaigned for improved transport; it is fundamental to improving economic growth, social mobility, cohesion and decarbonisation.

“In the past six months, there have been significant developments across business and policy that have helped our region hone its offer to investors: a business-focused Mayor in post, the development of Futures West, Brunel Centre’s inaugural insights into productivity, and now a credible and actionable growth plan.