Freeport plans progress as outline business case filed

THE consortium behind the Forth Green Freeport has submitted its Outline Business Case (OBC) to the Scottish and UK Governments following its successful shortlisting earlier this year.

The submission is an important step in the process towards securing green freeport status as the team refines its visionary bid for Scotland.

At the heart of the vision which will be delivered by the public and private sector consortium is the reindustrialisation of Scotland, the creation of large-scale economic regeneration, well paid high skilled green jobs and a just transition to net zero that benefits the wider Green Freeport approved area.

Dame Susan Rice, Chair of Forth Green Freeport, said: “The team have been working hard over the past few months to refine the contents of the bid to shape how the Forth Green Freeport will be governed, operated and delivered for Scotland.

“We now await the feedback from both the Scottish and UK Governments before we begin creating the final business case early next year.

“The Forth Green Freeport is a true partnership of private and public sector organisations who share the same vision for the Forth.

“The delivery of significant investment through the Forth Green Freeport is a key element in reducing emissions across the country through innovations in offshore wind manufacturing, assembly and commissioning, alongside innovative shipbuilding, modular assembly and hydrogen manufacture.”

It is estimated that the initiative will attract up to £7bn of private and public investment over the next decade and create up to 38,350 jobs, with almost 19,000 of these being direct gross jobs linked to the target sectors.

The target sectors of the Forth Green Freeport will require a higher paid, more skilled workforce as well as creating other jobs across the supply chains.

The OBC focuses on three strategically located tax sites and a number of potential customs sites, which span 552 hectares in Rosyth, Grangemouth, Leith, Burntisland and Edinburgh Airport.

This is a refinement of the overall area following the inclusion of land owned by the Royal Navy in Rosyth (HMS Caledonia) and the joining of the Burntisland site to the Leith site to create the Mid-Forth tax site.