Introduction
Often overlooked by outsiders for business, Yeovil offers excellent opportunities for profitable growth in the South West. Well positioned on the A303 corridor, Yeovil has a plentiful supply of greenfield opportunities for new build business development as well as an ever growing stock of existing business premises to rent. Yeovil has a local business culture which embraces both larger employers (e.g. Agusta Westland & Honeywell) as well many entrepreneurial businesses serving local, regional and national markets.
Lifestyle
Yeovil offers an excellent retail offering with many planned developments to both the existing Quedam Centre as well as other sites within the town centre, all of which will contribute to local business development opportunities. Yeovil has a 10 screen Multiplex Cinema, a 450 seat Theatre as well as public and private fitness and leisure clubs. Surrounding villages & towns offer a vast range of housing opportunities, all nestled within the stunning South Somerset countryside. Yeovil has a large District Hospital (http://www.somerset.nhs.uk/es/) right in the centre of the Town, which incorporates a Private Medical Wing.
Population Statistics
Yeovil - 41,000
District - 155,100 (2004)
Growth - 1991-2001 - 6.5%
Planning
Yeovil is designated an SSCT (Strategically Significant Town or City) in Draft RSS10
Local Plan adopted 27th April 2006
Local Development Framework (LDF) at Early stage of development
Housing
Local Plan allocates 1,900 new homes for Yeovil up to 2011
Draft RRS10 requires 320 new homes per year
Communications
Rail
Paddington | From 1H:35M from Castle Cary (17 Miles) |
Waterloo | From 2H:21M from Yeovil Junction |
Road/Air
Centre | Airport | Ferry | |
---|---|---|---|
J 25 of M5 (Taunton) | 26M | ||
Exeter | 55M | 46M (EXT) | |
Bristol | 41M | 44M (BRS) | |
Bournemouth | 47M | 44M (BOH) | |
Southampton | 74M | 75M (SOU) | |
London (SW1) | 133M | 120M (LHR) | |
Weymouth | 29M | ||
Poole | 43M | ||
Portsmouth | 93M | ||
Plymouth | 95M |
Employment Statistics
Draft RSS requires provision for 9,100 new jobs until 2026
Local Plan allocates 20 Ha (50ac) of greenfield land for new build business parks
Current Stock of 8.5 Ha (21 ac) of consented greenfield land for immediate development
Unemployment rate 1.1% (Jun 06)
High skill base workforce - Electronic Engineering, Computing, Design & Manufacture, R&D
Education
Yeovil College (www.yeovil.ac.uk/) offers a wide range of vocational and academic courses with Higher Education delivered in association with Exeter and Bournemouth Universities.
Yeovil is host to a number of other vocational training facilities run by Paragon & ITE (www.dorsetapprentices.co.uk/) and Somerset County Training (www.somerset.gov.uk/sct/default.asp).
Yeovil and it's wider area have a wide range of excellent state schools (http://schools.somerset.gov.uk/ & http://www.dorset-lea.org.uk/dsw/index.htm) as well as fee paying schools (www.isc.co.uk/)
Further Information
More information can be gained from the following sources:
- http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/culturecommunity/ed/info/
County Council site - Useful annual economic report - http://www.southsomerset.gov.uk/index.jsp?articleid=1933
http://www.southsomerset.gov.uk/index.jsp?articleid=652
District Council Site - Local Statistical Abstracts & Links to National Databases - http://www.landregistry.gov.uk/houseprices/
Up to date house price information - http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/
National Labour Market Statistics - http://www.swbem.org.uk/
South West Business & Economy Observatory (SWRDA) - www.yeovilchamber.org/
Local Business Chamber of Commerce - http://www.somerset-chamber.co.uk/
County Chamber of Commerce - http://www.businesslinksomerset.co.uk/
Local outlet for Government's Business Link