What is a Freeport?
A freeport is a government-designated area that offers special tax, customs, and regulatory benefits to encourage economic activity. Freeports are often located near shipping ports and airports. Read more on What are Freeports
Where is it and how many sites are there?
East Midlands Freeport is in a central location, straddling the 3 counties of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
What benefits will it bring?
The Freeport will bring many benefits including driving economic regeneration and creating thousands of jobs.
How will it cut the regions carbon emissions?
Net zero, innovation and skills are at the core of the plans. And by incentivising businesses to do more, we will accelerate the great work already taking place.
How much is it costing and how is it being funded?
A combination of significant private sector led investment with public sector spend – including £25m of Government seed funding.
It is anticipated to create tens of thousands of jobs in the region and deliver a regional GVA uplift to the East Midlands of almost £9bn. It will also generate close to £1bn in additional business rates over 25 years – which the Freeport can use to benefit local communities.
What are the time scales?
We became fully operational in March 2023 and we are already attracting significant investment into our sites.
What are they governance arrangements?
The Freeport is a terrific example of the public and private sector working in partnership, with 6 local authorities working and 6 industry partners, unifying to promote growth across the East Midlands.
Collaboration was the bedrock of our successful bid for the East Midlands Freeport – combining public and private sector know-how and oversight and expertise.
As a collective, our Board is committed to delivering this powerful and unique proposition on behalf of the region and its people, driving a prosperous social and economic future for the region.
How will you talk to communities about what it means to them?
We will be reaching out to communities in a number of ways over the coming months, including online events and newsletters, to explain the benefits that the freeport will bring, and to also invite ideas and feedback to help maximise those benefits for all.
I run a business nearby how will it effect me?
The freeport promises new opportunities for businesses in the East Midlands, as well as the wider Midlands regions and beyond. By attracting new investment in a range of sectors such as advanced manufacturing and logistics, creating a hotbed for innovation and delivering new jobs, the potential for existing local business to benefit is huge, and we will be working hard to make sure that we maximise those benefits.
Who should I contact?
Please use the enquiry form to contact us and we’ll be in touch as soon as we can.