Because there is no consensus over the term which best describes
the economic sub-region centred on Bristol and which extends into the
historic counties of
Somerset and
Gloucestershire, the term "Severnside" is sometimes used for that area. It often refers to the area administered by
Avon County Council between 1974 and 1996, which some organisations now refer to as "
The West of England" and others as "
Greater Bristol". The Avon Valuation Tribunal was renamed the Severnside Valuation Tribunal in 1996. The
Severnside Community Rail Partnership is a not-for-profit company established to help improve rail services in the Bristol area. The term is also sometimes used more specifically to refer to the partly undeveloped area north west of Bristol, between
Chittening and
Severn Beach, where
Imperial Chemical Industries built a large chemical plant in the 1960s, known as
ICI Severnside. Various proposals for the development of industry, business parks, housing, and/or a sports stadium have been made for this area in the past. The Severnside beat of
Avon and Somerset Police covers broadly this area, but also extends to the
Cribbs Causeway retail and business area adjoining the
M5 motorway. A number of voluntary groups in the Severn Beach area also use the term to describe their area of coverage. In
Gloucester, the Severnside Project is an environmental improvement scheme covering the river within the city and immediately adjoining areas. In
Shropshire, Severnside Housing is a social housing company which operates the former council housing stock in the former borough of
Shrewsbury and Atcham. (The River Severn runs through both
Shrewsbury and
Atcham.) ==Use of the term within Wales==