Salamanca Group’s principal investment, Gravity – a 616-acre Enterprise Zone set to create up to 7,500 jobs south of Bristol has been recognised at the National Planning Awards 2023.
LONDON, UK – One of Salamanca Group’s key investments, Gravity, a 616-acre Enterprise Zone expected to generate up to 7,500 jobs, has been recognised at the 2023 National Planning Awards. The awarding ceremony, in its ninth year, was hosted at the renowned IET Savoy Place on June 8th.
This is Gravity Ltd, supported by our consultants Stantec and the wider team received a Highly Commended commendation for the Gravity Local Development Order (LDO) under two critical categories:
- Planning Permission of the Year Award
- Promoting Economic Growth Award
These commendations highlighted the design, development of the planning application, and the successful adoption of the Gravity LDO, enabling strategic outcomes for the UK as well as local communities.
The LDO serves as a potent marketing instrument, attracting international inward investment and high-paying jobs, new supply chain opportunities, all underpinned with world-class training and education. Moreover, the adaptive planning framework facilitates the delivery of custom occupier requirements within set strategic and flexible parameters.
Salamanca Group also extended heartfelt congratulations to Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP for their distinguished Planning Award accomplishments. The firm clinched the ‘Planning Law Firm of the Year Award’, a testament to their outstanding legal contributions to the Gravity LDO and Compulsory Purchase Order, as well as other significant planning projects for other clients.
The judges commented, “…The scope of legal work and the complexities involved across these high-profile projects is genuinely astounding.”
Claire Pearce, Salamanca Group & This is Gravity’s Director – Planning & Economic Development, said, “We are delighted to have received ‘Highly Commended’ recognition from the Planning Awards 2023 in these two vital categories, especially amidst such strong competition. Salamanca Group & This is Gravity wish to extend sincere thanks to all who played a role in the development and adoption of the Gravity LDO. The process required vision, leadership, robust evidence, innovated assessment tools and multi-disciplinary teamwork to shape solutions to regenerate and transform a contaminated site into a transformational opportunity”.
We strongly believe that the major, international, advanced manufacturers we are currently engaging with, would be less likely to establish their operations at Gravity in the South West of the UK, had it not been for the adoption of the Gravity LDO by the progressive local authority, the former Sedgemoor District Council (now Somerset Council).”
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About Salamanca Group
Salamanca Group is a UK-based strategic investor, focused on investing in transformational opportunities that intersect real estate, energy, and infrastructure.
We stimulate economic uplift by creating sustainable employment opportunities for future generations in clean growth industries. Salamanca Group also addresses the need for quality homes and leisure environments, fostering long-lasting positive social impact.
We work with governments, investors, and local communities to accelerate strategic sites that align with our vision. Our experience and expertise underpin how we transform underutilised locations into globally competitive destinations.
Our work ensures that leading global companies are drawn to invest in the UK, establishing economic hubs that deliver sustainable employment for future generations while fostering long-term economic prosperity and growth
About Gravity
Gravity is the UK’s first strategic commercial smart campus and a blueprint for a ‘cleaner’, smarter future. Anchored by the 40 GWh Agratas battery manufacturing facility, the campus is now the catalyst for economic transformation across the South West. Delivering the Gravity campus will support the wider efforts towards transport decarbonisation as well as the UK’s acceleration progress on electrification.
Our site is at the heart of an ideal ecosystem and is the platform of choice to stimulate home-grown advanced battery manufacturing, it offers unrivalled connectivity, planning flexibility and access to world-class assets and talent pool with expertise in innovation and clean growth. Underpinning the ability to serve a multitude of customers across sectors in the transition to a net zero economy.