A major business park being developed on the site of a former Rolls-Royce aero-engine factory in Bristol has emerged as a possible location for a major logistics hub linked to the expansion of Heathrow Airport.
Representatives from Heathrow visited the Horizon38 business park, Filton, along with a second possible site in Crowley Way, Avonmouth, today as part of a regional tour of potential locations.
The airport’s expansion plans include a possible third runway with a price tag of around £18bn, which could open as early as 2025 if it gains government approval.
It wants to spread the benefits associated with what would be one of the UK’s largest infrastructure projects by building four logistics hubs around the UK which would pre-assemble components for the massive project.
The components would be transported to airport, making the £16bn project more affordable and spreading investment outside the South East.
The hubs would reduce the amount of congestion caused by construction traffic in and around the airport and lower the number of on-site construction staff.
They would also have the potential to bring billions of pounds of business to an area together with research and innovation in new construction techniques with factories or warehouses where prefabricated building and runway sections could be assembled before being transported to the airport.
The West of England bid for one of the hubs has been made by Invest Bristol & Bath, the investment promotion agency for the Bristol and Bath region, part of the West of England Combined Authority and Local Enterprise Partnership.
West of England Metro Mayor Tim Bowles was due to meet the Heathrow delegation as they visited Filton and Avonmouth today.
While Avonmouth has been named before as a potential location for a hub, it is the first time that the Horizon 38 business park has been put forward as a possible site. The 65-acre, £120m development is on the former Rolls-Royce East Works site, which was bulldozed around a decade ago. Parts of the works dated back to World War Two.
Ahead of the meeting Metro Mayor Tim Bowles said: “I’m looking forward to meeting the team from Heathrow and explaining to them why the West of England is the right place for a new hub, which would lead to hundreds of new jobs.
“We have the right connections, skills and expertise, as well as a strong track record of successfully delivering supply chains for a number of major UK infrastructure projects, including playing a key role in high profile programmes including Hinkley and Crossrail. The two sites being considered are well-connected by road and freight links, as well as Bristol Port.
“Our region is at the forefront of innovation, with access to a strong tech-based supply chain and we have the ambition and the skills to make an invaluable contribution to this development.”
South Gloucestershire Council leader Matthew Riddle added: “I am delighted that Heathrow Airport are considering the West of England and particularly that they are coming to visit the Horizon 38 site.
“The site lies in the heart of the Filton Enterprise Area which is already a nerve-centre for the aerospace sector and offers brand new logistics space with great connectivity.”
From an initial 121 applications put forward earlier this year, 65 have been longlisted by Heathrow.
