Bristol and the West of England must harness the potential unleashed by devolution in order to avoid “always coming second”, according to a leading business figure.
Tim Davies, head of South West and Wales at global real estate consultancy Colliers International, has called on “Metro Mayor” Tim Bowles to become the figurehead that the region needs to secure more national and international investment.
Tim Davies says that, while Channel 4’s decision to locate a creative hub in Bristol is an undoubted boost to the city, the re-location of its national HQ from London to Leeds means that the West of England is gaining an unwanted reputation for winning “consolation prizes” – and being “always the bridesmaid, never the bride.”
He believes West of England Combined Authority (WECA) Mayor Tim Bowles can play a central role in co-ordinating efforts on behalf of the city and the devolved West of England region to raise its profile and attract more showpiece employment and infrastructure projects.
“It goes without saying that Channel 4’s decision to locate a creative hub in Bristol is great news,” says Tim Davies.
“This will create around 50 jobs and is a recognition that the city is one of the UK’s leading creative centres, with a ‘dialled in’ workforce and a thriving media and tech sector with a reputation for innovation.
“Nonetheless there is the perception that Bristol always seems to end up with the ‘consolation prize’, often losing out to near neighbours such as Cardiff when it comes to securing big game-changing projects and failing to push ahead with transformative developments.
“In recent months not only have we seen the city centre missing out on the new Arena, but also the failure to secure planning permission for the extension of Cribbs Causeway on its northern fringe.
“An enlarged shopping centre at Cribbs Causeway would have cemented our place as the premier retail hub for the entire South West. In my view the reasons given for refusing planning were short-sighted – there is no reason The Mall and the city centre cannot co-exist happily, because the latter will continue to develop in a very different way.
“Something needs to change if we are to ensure that this reputation for being ‘always the bridesmaid, never the bride’ doesn’t stick.”
Tim Davies believes that WECA Mayor Tim Bowles can play a crucial role in changing perceptions.
“Our Metro Mayor has a massive role to play in terms of galvanising support for, and recognition of, all that Bristol and the West of England has to offer on a national and global stage.
“Alongside the Northern Powerhouse and the Midlands Engine, we are now recognised as being an area with devolved power and this presents Tim Bowles and the new Combined Authority with a golden opportunity to unlock and maximise the benefits of devolution.
“Our region’s reputation as a centre of excellence for so many key industries, as well as being a great place to live and a magnet for people relocating from areas like London and the South East, are well known.
“Now we need to become more consistent at delivering on our promise to ensure that we are not happy to accept the position of being runners-up. There are three main threads which need to be pursued in order to do this: the opportunity for growth and inward investment; improving our infrastructure and in doing so increasing accessibility; and creating a more responsive planning system.”
