The bid for a freeport on the River Thames has become stronger as a new partner reinforces regeneration and clean growth potential.
Thames Enterprise Park – a 669-acre former oil refinery development site shortly to become a manufacturing, logistics and clean energy hub – is joining the Thames Freeport bid consortium, involving the Forth Ports-owned Port of Tilbury, DP World London Gateway and Ford’s Dagenham engine plant.
Stuart Wallace from the Thames Freeport bid consortium, said: “Size matters more than ever for UK plc. A Thames Freeport ability to deliver transformational gains across trade, investment, jobs, levelling up and regeneration is substantial and just got even bigger. By boosting the bid with Thames Enterprise Park, we are taking the potential impact of our bid up a gear, which is great news for everyone who wants to see the region succeed and thrive.”
More development potential
Located directly next to DP World London Gateway, Thames Enterprise Park will bring additional development land to the bid, as well as add to its vision for a clean fuel hydrogen network that aligns closely with the UK’s net zero carbon agenda.
Thames Enterprise Park is one of the largest regeneration projects in the UK and bringing it into the bid as a customs sub-zone means that the transformative impact of freeport status will be even greater – a key objective of the Government’s freeport policy.
Following recent formal backing from Thurrock Borough Council and the Barking and Dagenham Council, the Thames Freeport team is finalising its bid ahead of submission to the Government by 5 February.
Earlier this month, many of the UK’s largest port operators jointly committed to high standards of sustainability and security in UK freeports.
