M5: THE DRIVING FORCE FOR GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S AND WORCESTERSHIRE’S ECONOMIES

From Avonmouth at Bristol to Worcester and beyond, the M5 motorway packs a major economic punch for the region, and its importance is growing.

It’s also unique, being the only single digit motorway from 1-6 not to radiate from London. Opened in 1962 to carry holiday traffic from the Midlands down to Devon and Cornwall, fast forward 50 years and while the route still carries millions of tourists to and from their annual seaside holidays, there are millions of hectares of prime real estate alongside being snapped up by commercial developers.

“From Junction 18 at Avonmouth to Junction 5 at Droitwich, the route is primed for growth with substantial amounts of land available for industrial and commercial development”

“From Junction 18 at Avonmouth to Junction 5 at Droitwich, the route is primed for growth with substantial amounts of land available for industrial and commercial development.”

Both Gloucestershire and Worcestershire LEPs are planning considerable investment opportunities in improving the road and commercial infrastructure close to the M5, according to Dorian Wragg, Commercial Partner at national property consultancy Bruton Knowles.

With the government’s communications headquarters, GCHQ, located just off Junction 11, hundreds of cyber companies have been attracted to this area which is at the centre of one of the UK’s major data hubs – creating thousands of well-paid jobs in this sector alone. As a result, the housing supply is also growing, boosting career opportunities for skilled people to relocate to an area often more affordable than the major urban hubs of London, Bristol and Birmingham.

Gloucester City, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Borough Councils have now adopted a Joint Core Strategy, a collaborative cross-boundary development agreement achieved after years of debate which stunted growth, and are now working together to deliver land for development.