Our Growth Zones are geographic areas with a concentration of people and business that have been shown to contribute towards improved economic performance and productivity, delivering wider economic benefits to the region as a consequence.
Swindon and Wiltshire is an area of major economic significance; attracting substantial overseas and UK investment. Its pivotal location in central southern England offers direct links to London, Heathrow, Oxford, Bristol, Cardiff, the Midlands and beyond.
Over 30,000 businesses thrive in the area generating £18.3bn. 61% of the 703,000 population (one of the fastest growing in the country) are of working age, 39% of whom are qualified to NVQ4 or above which is above the national average. Yet, the area offers the lowest commercial rentals along the M4 corridor, attracting many industry giants.
The Strategic Economic Plan identified three Growth Zones where there are currently large clusters of economic activity and where there is the greatest capacity for supporting sustainable growth in the future:
Zone 1: Swindon M4 Zone
Zone 2: A350 Zone
Zone 3: Salisbury A303 Zone
| Key Statistic | Swindon-M4 Zone | A350 Zone | Salisbury-A303 Zone | Chippenham and Corsham | Rest of Swindon & Wiltshire | SWLEP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GVA % SWLEP | 55 | 24 | 13 | 7 | 15 | - |
| Employees 2016 | 165,255 | 85,400 | 45,300 | 24,100 | 51,100 | 323,000 |
| % employees in knowledge based businesses | 23 | 19 | 25 | 16 | 14 | 21 |
| No. businesses as % SWLEP | 43.5 | 30.1 | 13.2 | 6.2 | 19.4 | - |
| Total number of businesses | 14,300 | 9,900 | 4,300 | 2,000 | 6,400 | 32,800 |
| % micro (0-9 employees) | 90.3 | 92.6 | 88.5 | 90.1 | 91.3 | 91.0 |
| % small (10-49 employees) | 7.8 | 6.0 | 9.7 | 7.9 | 6.8 | 7.3 |
| % medium (50-249 employees) | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 1.4 |
| % large (>250 employees) | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.4 |
| Rail journey time to London from Swindon, Westbury, Salisbury & Chippenham | 59m | 1h 34m | 1h 29m | 1h 15m | - | - |
| Distance to London from Swindon, Trowbridge, Salisbury & Chippenham (miles) | 80 | 112 | 88 | 99 | - | - |
If you would like to get involved in growing the economy in Swindon and Wiltshire, please get in touch or subscribe to our updates.
SWLEP Unit 7 Greenways Business Park
Chippenham SN15 1BN
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SWLEP is a Company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, company number 11766448, registered office at Business Cyber Centre, Unit 7 Greenways Business Park, Chippenham SN15 1BN, UK