In response to the Government’s call for action on Delivering Growth, the Council has developed a strategy to deliver the Development, Regeneration, Skills and Employment agenda which will be presented to Cabinet at its meeting today.
By putting people and communities at the heart of its sustainable economic growth agenda, the Council is bringing forward regeneration schemes that meet the future needs of individuals, communities and businesses across skills, housing and business space.
Getting people into work remains a key priority for the Council, to ensure that our young people have the skills required for a diverse economy, the Council is working with schools, colleges and the universities to ensure that local education reflects local business needs.
The Council is also working to deliver much needed workspace for the area’s flourishing businesses which has become hugely influential across the world. According to independent research, Bath has seen a surge in the number of new businesses formed in the first half of this year amounting to 466, making it a great place for new businesses to start up. The majority of the workspace will be delivered through the Bath ‘City of Ideas’ Enterprise Area, an area designated by the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership as an area of economic growth.
Furthermore, with up to 11,500 new homes required for current and future residents, the Council is working to bring forward brownfield sites across the district for housing. A significant number are expected to be delivered across Bath including 2,000 homes at Bath Riverside, up to 1,200 at the forthcoming MOD sites at Foxhill, Ensleigh and Warminster Road, in addition to sites further afield at Keynsham, Midsomer Norton and Radstock.
Cllr Paul Crossley (Lib-De, Southdown), Leader of the Council, said “The scope of this agenda shows how central skills are to our long-term competitiveness; as a result of legislative changes to the retirement age, we will have an ageing workforce with less job opportunities for our young people, it is essential that we create an environment for businesses to flourish, that in turn generates jobs, and a resident workforce to fill those jobs.”
For further details on the Development, Regeneration, Skills and Employment Agenda paper, please refer to the Council’s website at www.bathnes.gov.uk
