inform SOUTH WEST BUSINESS NEWS Bristol to shed its ‘bridesmaid’ tag


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.” “Channel 4’s decision to locate a


creative hub in Bristol is great news,” said 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 ‘There is


Planning permission to extend Cribbs Causeway was recently rejected


the perception that Bristol


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.” Tim Davies believes that WECA Mayor Tim Bowles can play a crucial role in changing perceptions. “Our Metro Mayor


always seems to end up with the consolation prize’


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. “Now we need to


become more consistent at delivering on our promise to ensure


Tim Davies, head of Colliers International Recycling company invests in super plant


ETM Recycling has announced that it is investing £4m in a new state-of-the-art recycling centre that will place both them and the city of Bristol at the forefront of the recycling industry. Once opened it will mean that


the Bristol company, which is part of the ETM Group, will have a zero waste to landfill site and will be able to handle a whopping 150,000 tonnes of waste per year. It's thought that it will be the


only plant with such capabilities in the UK. They are currently rebuilding their present site at Ashton Vale, South Bristol, and are well on the way to opening the new plant in April 2019. The new centre will mean an increase in efficiency and


6 insight JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019


takes the current system 24 hours to achieve, so there will be nothing as efficient as this around." The improved technology on the


system will not only increase efficiency of waste handling on site but will also vastly improve waste segregation, thus decreasing waste to landfill, helping ETM achieve 98- 100% landfill diversion. The new plant is being built to


The family-run business feels the new plant will be a huge benefit to Bristol


effectiveness, with ETM confident of doubling the amount of waste they can accept and process. Amy McCormack, director of


ETM Recycling (pictured with managing director Andy McCormack), said: “We are currently working under a


standard-rules permit with a 75,000-tonne capacity, but we have been granted a bespoke permit from the Environment Agency to handle 150,000 tonnes of waste per year for the new plant. “It will allow us to process 80 tonnes per hour, an output that


process construction and demolition waste and commercial and industrial waste. Amy added: “Currently we do not


allow any more people to tip here as we can barely keep up with our own waste, so it will allow more of the local community to dispose of their waste here. We feel will be a huge benefit to the city of Bristol.”


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.”


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32