MyCity Bristol

WHERE DOES BRISTOL SIT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UK TO PLACE BRISTOL IN A UK CONTEXT, WE HAVE BENCHMARKED ITS PERFORMANCE USING A NUMBER OF DATA SOURCES.

WE HAVE USED DATA FROM ONS, THE VOA, DLUHC AND THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH TO LOOK AT POPULATION CHANGE, EMPLOYMENT SECTORS, INDICATORS OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SUSTAINABILITY.

The lack of a mass transit system in Bristol has ensured a reliance on cars, particularly outside of the city centre, likely contributing to the above average levels of CO2 emissions per capita, ranking 7th of 10 cities studied. The professional, scientific & technical sector is expected to be within the top five growth sectors for Bristol between 2020 and 2040, far exceeding the UK average growth anticipated in this sector. Construction, admin & support services, and information & communication are also expected to be in the top five growth sectors in the Bristol market over the coming 20 years. Bristol’s innovative heritage continues today, driven through the universities as well as in the aerospace industry in particular, ranking top out of the 10 cities for the number of patent applications. Achieving the strong growth that is expected of Bristol will require it to become more accessible, in terms of transport through mass transit systems, housing will need to increase in supply and ensuring that the growth sectors have the commercial space they need to expand.

Bristol’s working age population (including the wider North Somerset and South Gloucestershire areas) was 1.17 million in 2020, having increased by 17% from 2000. Looking forward, growth is expected to slow slightly over the coming 20 years, reaching 1.32 million by 2040, an increase of 13% from 2020. GVA per capita across Bristol achieved £30K in 2020, having risen by 13% between 2000 and 2020 – a growth rate that matches the UK average. Over the coming 20 years, GVA per capita is expected to grow by 29% in Bristol to £39K, also equalling the growth rate anticipated across the UK. Across the 10 cities in our study, housing in Bristol was the second least affordable, with the average house price being 11.6 times average earnings, with only London exceeding this level of unaffordability in 2021. This reflects the close proximity of the city to London, producing an inflationary factor, along with a shortage of supply. On average, the wider Bristol area has reported 2,652 housing completions per year on average over the 10 years to 2022. This equates to one home completed per 548 residents per year, under the England average of one completion per 441 residents. Despite the increased level of housing activity over the past five years, it is likely the market will remain under supplied for at least the medium term.

BRISTOL VALUES AND UK AVERAGE BY KPI

VALUE

UK AVERAGE

EMPLOYMENT RATE

PATENT APPLICATIONS

TOTAL JOBS

AVERAGE EARNINGS

INTERNET CONNECTIVITY

HOUSE PRICE

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

SOURCE: CENTRE FOR CITIES; ONS

CO2 PER CAPITA

DAYS OF POOR AIR QUALITY

20

21

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