• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Thursday March 19 2026

Unleashing West of England could power UK’s growth – report

Unleashing the West of England from its structural constraints could see the region reach its potential and power the UK’s growth.

That’s one of the key findings of a the first report from research and insight hub The Brunel Centre, published today (Thursday).

Compiled by researchers at the University of Bath, the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) and Futures West, the Strategic Economic Audit of the West of England covers Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire, and North Somerset.

It draws on official data from the Office for National Statistics and other sources, supplemented with primary qualitative research including interviews with local business leaders.

Launching the report at the Festival of Flourishing Regions in Bristol today, Dr Lucy Martin, director of the Brunel Centre, said: “The evidence is unequivocal: the West of England is one of the UK’s most dynamic regional economies, with growth significantly exceeding the national average since 2008.

“But the conditions underpinning that success are under strain – addressing these pressures with coordinated, long-term action is essential.

“Unleashing the West of England could see the region reach its potential and power the UK’s growth.”

The Economic Audit’s key recommendation calls for the region to work collectively across the public, private and voluntary sectors to focus on productivity‑led growth, facilitate stronger pathways into employment, take region‑wide action on housing, transport, skills and inequalities, and accelerate the net zero transition.

By addressing these constraints, the researchers say the West of England can translate its strong economic fundamentals into a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable model of long‑term growth for the region and the UK.

Other key findings include:

• Export strength: the region generates exports worth £9.5 billion and runs a trade surplus, in contrast to the UK overall
• The region is home to world-leading innovation clusters, as well as strong knowledge-intensive, digital and creative industries
• A strong but place-specific labour market: The cities of Bristol and Bath are magnets for skilled workers, students and young professionals. Nearly half of residents have degree-level qualifications, one of the highest rates in England
• Surrounding areas experience higher underemployment and struggle to retain skilled professionals in specific sectors
• Transport is a ‘defining challenge’: congestion in the cities ranks among the worst in the UK, with unreliable, slow and poorly integrated public transport
• Housing and digital access issues: Housing affordability and shortages and inconsistent digital access are directly limiting growth and inclusion
• Localised pressures from child poverty to youth mental health demand are increasing, leading to untapped potential across the region
• Climate and environmental pressures: transport dominates overall greenhouse gas emissions, delivery of domestic retrofits to decarbonise homes is below target, and ecological decline threatens long-term resilience

Dr Lucy Martin added: “We are proud to be adding a strong new economic capability to the West of England today by releasing our first Strategic Economic Audit and launching our Data Hub and Observatory.

“Our research gives the clearest picture yet of West of England’s economy: this is a great place to live and work, with a strong-performing economy.

“The fact we’ve had recent successes, while pockets of deprivation remain, make the West of England a natural place to explore how growth can power social mobility.”

Andrea Dell, director of Futures West at Business West, said: “This is an important stocktake of the region. We know this is the level of insight that policymakers and businesses need to justify their decision to invest.

“Investment in the West of England will yield strong returns, not just for the region, but also for the wider UK. Money invested here will help drive national growth and innovation.

“It is also clear that our regional stakeholders must work together to address these issues, as no single organisation can do this alone.

“Over the past year we have seen real momentum build in promoting the West of England, including the launch of the West of England Growth Strategy.

“I’m excited by what our region can achieve by using this evidence to strengthen the case to invest here, driving economic growth and improved living standards.”

Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said: “As we continue working together to deliver our ambitious Growth Strategy, reinforced by the Brunel Centre’s Strategic Economic Audit, the West of England is well-placed to secure greater investment to improve transport, build homes, and create new jobs.

“It is also wonderful to see the Festival of Flourishing Regions once again taking place today here in the country’s fastest growing regional economy – which is also the most productive outside of the capital.”

The launch took place at the Festival of Flourishing Regions at the Watershed in Bristol.

Jointly hosted by the Brunel Centre and Futures West, the event featured discussions on devolution, investment and growth, with contributions from local and national business and political leaders.