What is the Bournemouth International Growth Programme?
The Bournemouth International Growth (BIG) Programme is a major economic growth plan focused on improving connectivity, easing congestion, protecting existing jobs and creating new ones in and around Bournemouth Airport and Wessex Fields.
£45,200,000 has been secured by Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership as part of the Dorset Growth Deal to fund a series of transport and infrastructure investments along the A338 and B3073 corridors aimed at facilitating better access into and around Bournemouth Airport as well as unlocking employment land at Aviation Business Park and at Wessex Fields.
Details of current transport projects can be found here
Governance of the BIG Programme is detailed here.
What is the BIG Programme going to do?
From 2015 to 2021 the BIG Programme will:
- Transform accessibility to and around Bournemouth Airport and Wessex Fields through extensive transport improvements
- Release up to 60 hectares of prime, flexible employment land for high-quality new business premises at Aviation Business Park and 6 hectares at Wessex Fields
- Provide the single largest employment opportunity in the south-east Dorset conurbation with the potential to create up to 10,000 new highly skilled jobs over the next decade
- Generate up to £500 million of GVA into the area
- Deliver around 350 new homes of which up to 50 per cent are affordable
- Deliver increased broadband capacity to Bournemouth Airport and Aviation Business Park
- Develop a new approach to improve skills and employee development, better tailoring it to the needs of key business sectors (aerospace, aviation, advanced manufacturing, digital media, marine, defence and financial services) This project is called the Skills Escalator – read the newsletter here
Why is it needed?
Bournemouth Airport is a significant economic asset to Dorset. Alongside the opportunity to unlock employment land at Aviation Business Park and Wessex Fields, an exciting economic growth opportunity exists for the region.
However, existing key link roads and transport networks are congested and need to be transformed to enable Bournemouth Airport, Aviation Business Park and Wessex Fields to reach their full economic potential.
Download a copy of the Aviation Business Park/BIG Programme brochure here
Who is funding the BIG Programme and how much is it costing?
£45,200,000 has been allocated to fund the BIG Programme. This is part of the £98.5 million funding secured by Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership through the Government’s Local Growth Deals.
The BIG Programme forms part of Dorset LEP's Strategic Economic Vision to drive economic growth, improve housing, transport and infrastructure, and create more highly skilled jobs.
When did the BIG Programme start?
The BIG Programme’s first major transport scheme - the £22 million renewal of the A338 Bournemouth Spur Road (between Ashley Heath and Blackwater), the key link road to Bournemouth Airport - started in Septermber 2015 and was completed in May 2016.
What’s happening now?
The second phase of major transport schemes (announced at the end of September 2016) sees over £20 million of investment in a series of highway improvements along the A338 and B3073 corridors including:
Other schemes currently under consideration on the B3073 include potential new link roads at Parley Cross and improvements at Hurn roundabout and Longham mini-roundabouts.
What is the timeframe for the BIG Programme?
The transport and infrastructure investments are due to be completed by 2021.
Who is involved in the BIG Programme?
The BIG Programme is governed by the BIG Programme Steering Group. Membership includes Dorset LEP board members and officers, councillors and officers from the local authority delivery partners Bournemouth Borough Council, Christchurch and East Dorset and Dorset County Council and Manchester Airport Group (MAG), owners of Aviation Business Park.
Further information
- Subscribe to regular updates about the BIG Programme here.
- Businesses interested in locating to Aviation Business Park should contact Harvey Greenman
Transport and infrastructure improvements planned 2015-2021 as part of the BIG Programme
Transport and infrastructure improvements planned over the next four years as part of the BIG programme
