Electrical, mechanical, ventilation and insulation packages on the Epic campus at Long Ashton go to tender this month, with work on site from May 2027.

Building firms in North Somerset are being invited to bid for the next contracts on the Epic campus at Long Ashton. Invitations to tender are expected this month, and work on site is due to start in May 2027.

North Somerset Council announced the opportunities on Thursday 12 November (North Somerset Council). They cover two buildings on the campus: the car park building and the training building.

The work on offer

For each of the two buildings, the project team wants specialist subcontractors for:

  • electrical supply and installation
  • mechanical supply and installation
  • ventilation supply and installation
  • insulation supply and installation

The bar is set high. Firms need a turnover of at least £2 million a year, a directly employed workforce and a track record on commercial construction projects. They will also be asked for case studies of similar developments (North Somerset Council).

The council has appointed Somerset Chamber of Commerce to run the first phase of a business engagement and supply chain programme for the campus. The chamber is promoting the packages through its Somerset Supply Chain programme.

Samantha Orchard, the chamber’s business engagement manager, said: “We’re encouraging experienced contractors to come forward at this early stage to start conversations with the project team, showcase their expertise and position themselves ahead of the formal procurement process.”

What is being built at Long Ashton

The campus was given planning permission in January 2025. It covers about 90 acres near Long Ashton and is being built in six phases between 2025 and 2041 (North Somerset Council). The council calls it one of the largest private investments ever made in North Somerset.

The finished campus will include:

  • five office buildings
  • a 3,000-seat auditorium
  • a culinary building
  • a dedicated training facility
  • a basement car park with 536 spaces

The site sits between the A370 Long Ashton Bypass, Colliters Way and the railway line, and the main contractor is Gilbert-Ash (North Somerset Council). The first office building is under way: its basement is largely dug out and the lift shaft and stairwell are the first structures going up.

Once fully open, the council expects the campus to support around 2,150 jobs, in roles such as software engineering, health informatics and technical support. It puts the value to the local economy at an estimated £147 million. When fully built and occupied, the campus is also expected to bring the council around £1.4 million a year in retained business rates.

What it means for you

If you run a building services firm of the right size, the time to make contact is now, before the formal tender opens. The council’s release names Samantha Orchard at Somerset Chamber of Commerce as the contact for an initial discussion (email). Any business can register with the council for news of later opportunities, jobs and skills programmes linked to the campus.

If you drive past the site, expect the works to carry on. Traffic management around the Gurney roundabout includes a temporary 30mph limit, down from 40mph, on Colliters Way and on the Long Ashton Bypass either side of the roundabout. Five public footpaths across the site stay closed until 25 December 2026 under a temporary order, with signed alternative routes (North Somerset Council).