Showcasing Gloucestershire's incredible investment opportunities on a national level, Invest in Gloucestershire is attending the UK’s Real Estate investment and infrastructure Forum this May 2025, as part of the Western Gateway.
Though the government announced it was not renewing the funding for the Western Gateway Pan-Regional Partnership in March 2025, meaning the secretariat team in its current form will cease to exist from June, Western Gateway will still be representing the area at the UKREiiF, which takes place from Tuesday 20 until Thursday 22 May 2025 in Leeds.
With its own Western Gateway Pavillion at this year's event, it is promoting investment opportunities across the 28 local authorities which currently make up the partnership, stretching across south Wales and western England from St David's in south Wales to Swindon in Wiltshire – including Gloucestershire.
With an economy worth £130 billion, world-leading engineering and aerospace businesses, renowned universities, innovative start-ups and 'Europe's most developed cyber cluster', not to mention being the proposed destination for the first deployment of Small Modular Reactors at the former Berkeley nuclear power station, it hopes to showcase this vibrant area and attract new investment opportunities at the event.
Chair of the Western Gateway, Sarah Williams-Gardener, said: 'As the fastest growing area outside of London, the Western Gateway is the place to invest. By bringing together business and local authorities from across south Wales and western England, we are able to make sure our area can be recognised alongside the north and the midlands for the major contributions we want to make to the UK Economy.
'We have incredible opportunities here that we are ready to shout about... With our group of committed local leaders and supportive business, we are ready to work with organisations from around the world and across the UK to drive investment and ensure we can continue to be a major driver of our economy.'
Ben Watts, the economy and spatial planning manager at Gloucestershire County Council, is one of the speakers at this year's forum, discussing how to deliver sustainable growth in 'the UK’s highest potential area' at a business breakfast event on Tuesday 20 May 2025.
Invest in Gloucestershire is also launching its new 'Opportunity Gloucestershire' brochure at the forum, which provides an overview of everything Gloucestershire has to offer to potential new investors, along with the high-profile infrastructure projects on the horizon.
