“Unleash the West of England to power up UK growth” - The Brunel Centre publishes Economic Audit

• The Brunel Centre, a new research and insight hub, releases Strategic Economic Audit of the West of England   
• The region is England’s most productive Combined Authority area outside London   
  
  
• The West of England has a highly educated and skilled workforce, globally competitive universities and leading industrial clusters   
  
  

• Despite these strengths, there are challenges: investment, transport, housing affordability and inequality   
  
  

• The Economic Audit will be launched at the Festival of Flourishing Regions in Bristol today, Thursday 19 March   
  
  

• The Brunel Centre’s Data Hub and Observatory also launches today, making the data underpinning the audit and other insights publicly accessible   
  
  

The Brunel Centre, a new data and research centre designed to support sustainable and inclusive growth and industrial strategy in the West of England, today releases its first major publication, a Strategic Economic Audit of the region. 

Its headline finding shows that the region possesses exceptional potential and is one of the UK’s most dynamic regional economies but is limited by structural constraints. 

The West of England became the most productive Combined Authority area in England outside London in 2023. Its post-pandemic recovery has also been markedly stronger than the UK average. 

Compiled by researchers at the University of Bath, the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) and Futures West, the Economic Audit 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, will say: “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.” 

Collective action needed to build sustainable growth – key findings 

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 adds: “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, says: “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.”  

Dr Damian Whittard, Associate Professor of Economics at UWE Bristol, says: “The Strategic Economic Audit shows that the West of England is a strong and vibrant region with enormous potential. Our research highlights the need for inclusive and sustainable economic growth within the region that supports the transition to net zero. Tackling inequality and spatial disparities, improving transport and connectivity, and delivering shared prosperity across communities is central to unlocking the region’s potential.” 

Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, says: “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.” 

New online Data Hub and Observatory launch alongside audit 

Alongside the launch of the Strategic Economic Audit today, the Brunel Centre will also unveil its online Data Hub and Observatory. 

The observatory is an online and real-time data resource on the economic performance of the region. Hosting a range of data, it makes available the evidence that underpins today’s Audit and the ongoing work of the Centre freely available to businesses, policymakers and the public. 

The Data Observatory is located at https://www.thebrunelcentre.co.uk/   

Festival of Flourishing Regions 

The launch will take place at the Festival of Flourishing Regions at the Watershed in Bristol today (Thursday 19 March). 

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

About the Brunel Centre 

The Brunel Centre was launched in 2025 by the University of Bath, the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) and Futures West, backed by £4.5 million in funding from Research England. 

It published a policy insight report, Closing the Productivity Gap, in September 2025. 

In the coming months, the Brunel Centre will publish further economic insights, as well as hosting events and workshops designed to enable collaborations that facilitate inclusive and sustainable economic growth. The Centre will also open a consultancy service to businesses and key decision makers in the region and nationally.  

 

ENDS 

The Festival of Flourishing Regions is taking place at Watershed, Canon Rd, Bristol, BS1 5TX on Thursday 19 March from 8:45am to 5:30pm. You can register for tickets and see the agenda at: https://tinyurl.com/2s4yvkp8  

The Brunel Centre website and Data Hub and Observatory will be live from Thursday 19 March: https://www.thebrunelcentre.co.uk/   

For more information or to request interviews, contact: 

Will McManus, University of Bath: wem25@bath.ac.uk / +44(0)1225 385 798 

Bethan Jones, UWE Bristol: bethan17.jones@uwe.ac.uk / +44(0) 117 328 1906 

Amy Drummond, Futures West: Amy.Drummond@BusinessWest.co.uk / +44 7586 746039 

About the University of Bath 

The University of Bath is one of the UK's leading universities, recognised for high-impact research, excellence in education, an outstanding student experience and strong graduate prospects. 

• We are ranked among the top 10% of universities globally, placing 132nd in the QS World University Rankings 2026. 
  
  

• We are ranked in the top 10 in all of the UK’s major university guides. 
  
  

• The University achieved a triple Gold award in the last Teaching Excellence Framework 2023, the highest awards possible, for both the overall assessment and for student outcomes and student experience. The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) is a national scheme run by the Office for Students (OfS). 
  
  

• We are The Times and The Sunday Times Sport University of the Year 2026. 
  
  

Research at Bath is shaping a better future through innovation in sustainability, health, and digital technologies. Find out all about our Research with Impact: http://bit.ly/3ISz1Wu 

 

About Futures West 

Futures West, initiated by Business West, is a collaboration between businesses and leading universities to drive long-term change for the benefit of the wider West of England Region. In partnership with the Brunel Centre, Futures West will promote evidence-based insights to attract investors and inform policy makers. 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/futures-west-foundation 

The University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) 

The University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) has a global and inclusive outlook, with approximately 38,000 students and strong industry networks and connections with over 1,000 employers. 

RISE – standing for Research, Innovation, Skills and Enterprise – is UWE Bristol’s institutional framework which shapes its purpose, culture and future growth. It brings together research focusing on real world challenges, innovation that positively impacts people and the planet, collaboration with industry to teach skills for the future jobs market, and supports a thriving enterprise environment at UWE Bristol’s University Enterprise Zone. 

UWE Bristol plays a pivotal role in the region contributing £500 million to the regional economy annually. With over £400 million invested in infrastructure, buildings and facilities across all campuses in the past 10 years, UWE Bristol is creating a place for learning that is innovative, ambitious, connected, enabling and inclusive. 

UWE Bristol is ranked 38th in the UK in the Guardian University Guide 2026. The University is rated ‘1st Class’ for sustainability, ranked 14th out of 149 higher education institutions in People & Planet’s latest sustainability league table. www.uwe.ac.uk 

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