Fawley Waterside will be the UK’s first ‘Smart Town’ designed and built with technology from the ground up. The objective is to create more than 2,000 jobs in the new community and to strengthen the marine and digital economy of the Solent region.
Fawley Waterside Limited bought a power plant in 2015 and are now on the verge of converting it into a masterplan. This will in its turn enhance and protect the site's valuable natural resources and the wider New Forest. An effective sustainable transport system will serve the inhabitants and connect neighboring towns and villages. Two planning applications for the redevelopment of the site were submitted in May 2019. If permission is granted the development will be implemented as one project.
Fawley Waterside will become an intelligent merchant city - it will be a mixed-use area, heavily leaning in sustainability. It will become a circle economy – reusing 90% of everything, have low carbon impact, offering sustainable jobs, a variety of houses - including affordable homes, and sustainable when it comes to energy and food. Citizen centric is a key concept - technology is only a vehicle to enable a better quality of life. Data will be used and integrated, supporting the citizen centric city.
"We can reshape and replicate this into other cities – scale-up into a better Britain, a better world."
Fawley Waterside Limited, the Environment Agency, Natural England, Hampshire & IOW Wildlife Trust, RSPB, Hampshire County Council, Historic England, New Forest District Council, Health & Safety Executive, Exxon Mobil, Fawley Parish Council, Forestry Commission, Southern Water, Department for Transport, New Forest National Park Authority - these are all involved in discussions about the project.
Fawley Waterside Limited
To transform the Fawley Waterside site into a thriving residential and commercial waterside community that becomes a destination for employment and leisure activity. The aim is to create a vibrant town, combining a permanent community with a dynamic and prosperous workplace, and one of the most beautiful small towns in England.
"Working with the public sector, academia and the third sector in order to learn from this project. We can reshape and replicate this into other cities – scale-up into a better Britain, a better world.” Brett Trafford, Fawley Waterside
Tech trends: IoT, Big data, Digital twins, Automization/robotics, Sharing economy,
Societal trends: Urbanization, Local networking, Eco-system network, Experiences, Prototyping, Smart society
This case can be linked to several of the SDGs, among others: no. 7 - Affordable and clean energy - and no. 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure - due to that the plan includes both energy and mobility initiatives, no. 11 - Sustainable cities and communities - as there is a strong focus on inclusion and other social sustainability issues, and finally no. 13 - Climate action - due to the aim for 90% reuse and a low carbon impact.
Interview with Brett Trafford, Director, and Paul Copping CTO - Fawley Waterside (FWS)