UK Government urged to give Teesside UK’s first Freeport by end of 2021
PD Ports is backing the call for Teesside to be selected as the location of the UK’s first Freeport following Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s.
This comes as the Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, made a renewed call for Teesside to be home to the UK’s first Freeport as the Government confirmed the first are set to open by the end of 2021.
The Government set out further details yesterday, around how it will create a number of new Freeports across the UK to turbo charge post-Brexit trade and create jobs, and PD Ports, working alongside the Mayor, wants Teesside to have the first.
PD Ports has long advocated for Freeports, submitting its response to the Government’s consultation back in July that underlined the huge investment and employment boost that a Freeport could deliver for the local and regional economy if situated on the River Tees.
The Freeport bidding process will open before the end of the year, with the Government confirming Freeports will benefit from streamlined planning processes to aid brownfield redevelopment, a package of tax relief to help drive growth, innovation and create jobs, as well as simplified customs procedures.
