Swindon & Wiltshire Regional Hub

We're proud of the progress made across Swindon & Wiltshire this year, and our active role working in collaboration with partners on key projects, initiatives and programmes to develop a visionary path that prioritises sustainable and inclusive economic growth. 

We've also taken significant steps to enhance our operational efficiency and evaluate our membership delivery in the West of England. By refining our team location and streamlining our services, we’ve created a more centralised, accessible experience for all our members across the region. 

What has been accomplished? 

What’s to come in the region going forward? 

As we enter 2025, we’re looking at a broader strategy to further build on our successes in 2024, to enable us to invest in new initiatives that benefit our members and regional business communities and continue to drive regional prosperity long-term.

Economic Development Projects 
 

Swindon Knowledge Central & the Heart of Swindon Vision

A project to develop 111 acres of land next to Swindon station, will become one of the largest UK’s Brownfield regeneration Projects. The project will consider how the land could be repurposed to provide a new commercial, educational, and residential quarter, whilst retaining essential car parking next to the station. The project:

• Supports the Governments focus on economic growth and their housing & development agenda A
• Aligns with Swindon local priority to Build a Better Swindon, which places a focus on transforming central Swindon into a highly desirable place to live, work & visit
• Look to maximise Swindon’s outstanding economic record & potential, with one of the most productive economies in the UK – particularly with its quickly growing & innovative, knowledge-based industries
• Aims to capitalise on, at attract further private sector investment, in Swindon’s existing research investment and assets including and iCAST, a joint venture between the Universities of Oxford and Bath
• Is supported by a board including Network Rail, Swindon Borough Council, LCR Property, GWR, Homes England, Department for Business and Trade, UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), University of Bath, Business West, and Western Gateway

Heart of Swindon Vision Ambitions

The Heart of Swindon Vision is a draft set of shared ambitions to spearhead the reinvention of Swindon town centre, which was tabled for discussion at the Council’s Cabinet meeting in November 2024.   

This sets out eight ambitions to reinvent the town centre in the years ahead, developed through a council-led collaboration with partners, including:  

• A Centre for Living: creation of new, mixed-use neighbourhoods in the heart of the town. 
• A Creative Centre: supporting Swindon’s growing creative community and delivery of a new cultural venue.
• A Centre for Learning: Giving Swindon’s higher education institutions a place in the centre and creating a hub for students.
• A Knowledge Centre: Bringing the town’s leading enterprises into the heart of town and providing spaces to support small businesses.
• A Green & Healthy Centre: Investing in and connecting our central parks, along with extensive greening of the centre through tree planting and creation of new pocket parks.
• A Vibrant Centre: A centre that provides a broad mix of shops, places to eat and drink, and community spaces that brings vibrancy throughout the day and into the evening.
• A Connected Centre: Creating stronger connections into the heart of Swindon and between its districts, including across the rail-line.
• A Proud Swindon: A commitment to creatively re-use Swindon’s historic buildings and to ensure that development responds to the town’s rich history of innovation.  

Councillor Jim Robbins, Leader of Swindon Borough Council, says: “This project would be a catalyst, helping to turbocharge the wider reinvention of the town centre.”   

Swindon Cultural Development

Business West is committed to strengthening our region’s cultural fabric, a key driver of economic growth, and is working in support of Swindon Borough Council’s aims to bring together the cultural sector in Swindon. Key activities include: 

Festival of Tomorrow 

Based in Swindon, as the heart of UK research and innovation, Festival of Tomorrow is an exhilarating journey through the realms of science, innovation, and the arts, showcasing groundbreaking discoveries and technologies that will shape the future we aspire to create and the knowledge and research that will drive the global advancements of tomorrow. 

Business West is proud to be a lead sponsor, alongside other partners, in support of the opportunities for everyone to grow our understanding of how science works, and how it can shape our choices in a changing world.

Learn more about Festival of Tomorrow

Signal Festival Swindon 

A radical showcase of talent and opportunity for Swindon's young people 11 - 25. Intended to build creativity in Swindon and give young people the necessary skills and resources, Signal Festival want young artists and enthusiasts to feel like they can succeed artistically in their hometown and flourish creatively; and cultivate art, supports artists and enrich audiences.

Learn more about Signal Festival Swindon
 

Major Business Services Projects

We’re working collaboratively on contracts to deliver business services in the region, such as:

Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) in Swindon & Wiltshire

Local Skills Improvement Plans are employer-led and locally owned; giving local areas the flexibility to innovate and tailor approaches to their specific needs.  LSIPs bring together employers, education, training providers and other local stakeholders to set out the key priorities and changes needed in the area to ensure post-16 technical education and training prepares employees better for work.

Delivery focuses on sectors in Automotive; Health, Social Care & Life Sciences; Agriculture, Agritech & Land Management, Construction; Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering, Digitalisation, Net Zero, and Core/Transferrable Skills (Business & Administration). 

Learn more about LSIP

Swindon Mindful Employer Network 

The Swindon Mindful Employer Network (SMEN) is a programme of face to face events per year, in partnership with Swindon Borough Council and Swindon & Gloucestershire MIND, welcoming employers from across Swindon and the local area to join crucial discussions surrounding mental health and employee wellbeing in the workplace and support them in fostering a healthy work environment for their staff. 

Learn more about SMEN

Representation & Advocacy

In 2024, we welcomed five ministerial visitors to the region, as well as senior government officials, shadow ministers, ambassadors & VIPs, and senior government and public servants who joined us via our events and partnership programmes, including: 

• Wiltshire Council Productivity Institute Programme
• Champion Swindon Taskforce
• Swindon Climate Partnership
• Swindon Learning Together Partnership 
• Hosting bi-annual Meet the MP & Council Leader events

Getting Our Voice Heard

On behalf of business, we engage with Members of Parliament, Senior Government & Civil Services Officials and Ministers to ensure that our collective voice is heard at government level, and to advocate for a thriving business and economic landscape in this region, including:

• Dr Roz Savage MP - Liberal Democrat MP for South Cotswolds
• Will Stone MP - Labour MP for Swindon North
• Heidi Alexander MP - Justice Minister and Labour MP for Swindon South
• Rt Hon. Dr Andrew Murrison MP - Conservative MP for South West Wiltshire
• Rt Hon. Darren Kruger MBE MP - Conservative MP for East Wiltshire
• Rt Hon. Jonathan Reynolds MP - Secretary of State for Business and Trade
• Rt Hon. Darren Jones MP - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
• Sarah Gibson MP - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Business & Trade 
• Carla Denyer MP - Leader of the Green Party in England & Wales   

Regional Economic Growth

Championing innovative, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth across the region. 

Our region has fantastic assets, people, natural environment, world leading research and business sectors, yet our productivity is weak relative to London and the South East and international comparators. We need more higher paying jobs and could provide even greater revenue to help pay for vital services the UK needs. 

Futures West Foundation for Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Growth is a collaboration between business and leading universities. We focus on tackling our region’s long-term challenges to raise productivity, prosperity and innovation. 

Futures West Foundation

The Futures West Foundation for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth is the most significant development that Business West has supported since the inception of the Bristol Initiative over 40 years ago. The latter played a pivotal role in the city’s regeneration, including spurring the harbourside development.

Our intention is that Futures West will pave the way for a new wave of investment and prosperity in the wider West of England region. This region is often overlooked when it comes to investment, yet it plays a vital role in the UK's long-term prosperity.

It aims to tackle the region’s long-term challenges to raise productivity, prosperity, and innovation. Its research will provide the evidence base needed to better inform policy and attract investment. 

It is our aim that the Futures West evidence base will be a robust resource for the benefit of public and private sector organisations across our region, and beyond 

What is Business West’s relationship with Futures West? 

Futures West has been initiated by Business West and is overseen as part of Business West’s corporate Governance Framework. However, it is advised on its Work Programme by an Independent Advisory Board led by an Independent Chair. 

How does this relate to Business West’s Initiative? 

Futures West and The Initiatives complement each other.  

The Initiatives have always been focused on envisioning and shaping the future. Futures West will bring the much-needed evidence base to help facilitate change. The Initiatives can share business insights with Futures West.  

There is a golden thread of enabling sustainable and inclusive economic growth across both. 

Learn more about Futures West Foundation