In a joint announcement on Friday, January 13th, the UK and Scottish governments revealed that two new Green Freeports will be established in Inverness and Cromarty Firth and Firth of Forth. The creation of these new sites is expected to bring forward an estimated £10.8 billion of private and public investment and create over 75,000 new, high-skilled jobs. The UK Government is backing the new sites with up to £52 million in funding.
The process of creating these new Green Freeports began earlier this year when consortiums submitted bids for their share of the funding. These bids were jointly considered by the UK and Scottish governments, with the successful locations being chosen based on how they would regenerate local communities, deliver decarbonisation, establish hubs for global trade and foster an innovative environment to support levelling up.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said, "Working together delivers results – and I am absolutely delighted that the First Minister and I can announce the delivery of our shared ambition for people in Scotland today with not one but two excellent Green Freeport areas."
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove added, "Scotland has areas of outstanding opportunity but there are also places that can benefit from more investment to truly level up communities that have been overlooked."
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said, "This is a milestone achievement in the process to deliver Green Freeports for Scotland. Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport and Forth Green Freeport will support businesses to create high-quality, well-paid new jobs, promote growth and regeneration, and make a significant contribution to achieving our net zero ambitions."
The successful bids, Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport and Forth Green Freeport, will now be granted up to £26 million in funding over the next few years to address infrastructure gaps which are currently holding back investment. The Forth Green Freeport aims to drive a transition to net zero by 2045 through attracting up to £6bn worth of investment and creating 50,000 jobs, generating £4.2bn in additional Gross Value Added in the first ten years of operation.
The Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport is expected to create 25,000 jobs and attract £4.6 billion of investment, generating £3.6 billion in additional Gross Value Added in the first ten years of operation.
Both of the successful bids demonstrated a strong determination to embed fair work practices, including payment of the Real Living Wage, and to enshrine net zero initiatives in their work. The UK and Scottish governments will now work closely with the successful bidders to ensure they deliver maximum positive impact and become operational as soon as possible. They will also work with the unsuccessful bidders to consider how they can build on the plans set out in their bids to deliver jobs and growth in their regions outside the Green Freeports programme.
The UK and Scottish governments' joint decision to create two new Green Freeports in Inverness and Cromarty Firth and Firth of Forth, is expected to bring forward an estimated £10.8 billion of private and public investment and create over 75,000 new, high-skilled jobs. The UK Government is backing the new sites with up to £52 million in funding. The Forth Green Freeport aims to drive a transition to net zero by 2045 and the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport is expected to create 25,000 jobs. Both of the successful bids demonstrated a strong determination to embed fair work practices, including payment of the Real Living Wage, and to enshrine net zero initiatives in their work.
Photo by Anja Bauermann on Unsplash
