Avonmouth is at the centre of Bristol’s industrial, distribution, energy generation and storage and recycling activities. It is also becoming a major regional hub for carbon capture, alternative fuels and hydrogen production as well as other value-adding ‘circular economy’ activities.
Despite its strategic location next to the Port of Bristol, this historic industrial area had remained relatively under-developed for some decades. So the Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area (ASEA) was created in 2013 to support a 25-year growth strategy and unlock the potential for both the re-development of brownfield land and new development on 60 hectares of new greenfield sites . The ASEA has since received around £140 million of public investment – from the local authorities, the Environment Agency and the Highways Agency – to improve flood defences, create a new wetland habitat area for eco-mitigation, provide a new junction direct to the M49, improve public transport and install full fibre broadband. In 2024 the area is receiving over £500,000 government funding for development of a multi-sector Local Industrial Decarbonisation Plan to achieve net zero by 2050. The Bristol City Leap partnership has emerging plans to expand the wind and solar energy generation and storage at Avonmouth, and to develop a large-scale heat network to serve both industrial users and the wider North Bristol area There is also a proposal seeking funding to create a skills academy with a focus on the area’s growing green industrial sectors.
Such schemes will improve both Avonmouth’s long-term climate resilience and its accessibility, as well as opening up over 100 hectares of brown and greenfield sites for strategic development. It will also connect both incoming and existing employers across the area to their local communities, providing new high quality industrial jobs and opportunities to re-skill.
The communities of Avonmouth and Lawrence Weston ward reflect the long history of industrial and port-related activities in the area. While Avonmouth Severnside has seen many new jobs created – mainly in logistics, energy and waste – over the past decade. There is scope to further integrate these communities to access those jobs that are on a ‘24/7’ shift basis, and spread across the extensive industrial area.
The development of Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area offers opportunities to attract new and better jobs, especially in advanced manufacturing and engineering, decarbonisation and Port related activities, including the servicing of nuclear and offshore wind projects. which are balanced by new green infrastructure. In the adjacent residential communities, more housing is being provided and community facilities and local retail centres are being improved. Crucially, all of these will be delivered in a way that builds in climate resilience and carbon neutrality, as well as offering wider social value.
All development activity that we pursue is shaped by our core values which have been developed over recent years with a whole-city approach. Sustainability and inclusion are our priorities, and we welcome interest in our city from investors who share these values. We are very keen to hear about how your organisation might contribute to the growth of our city in a way that supports our values, and we are always interested to hear new ideas.
Companies and investors, both local and incoming, increasingly cite our values as the reason they are based, or are active, in the city. The improving quality of life derived from our values-led approach is often cited as a bonus for retention and recruitment of staff.
A successful strategy for Avonmouth will fully exploit its unique combination of location, port access and local expertise in the logistics, advanced engineering, energy and circular economy sectors. The vision for the future sustainable economic development of Avonmouth is premised on promotion of a “circular economy”. Bristol’s One City Plan to 2050 has identified Avonmouth as a zero waste ‘Circular Economy Zone’.
At the moment many of our projects are at inception or development phase and we invite general interest in the areas of opportunity and challenge set out above.
Green Industrial Park: a concept study is underway to develop a multi-functional green industrial park on Council owned land which will co-locate new high efficiency industrial and distribution premises with renewable energy generation for electricity and heat/cooling supply, plus ultra low emission transport fuelling and circular waste processing. New facilities may also include a Circular Economy Technologies Centre with linkage to the waste sector majors present at Avonmouth.
The Council invites enquiries from inward investors and developers with an interest in this emerging field.
A range of sites are coming forward, with public, private and combined ownerships. We are seeking investment partners who share our vision for attracting high value industrial activities linked to an expanding renewable energy and circular economy infrastructure, and who understand the need to develop these sites in a way that meets the physical challenges whilst maximising locally and socially beneficial outcomes.
