Thames Freeport is an economic zone connecting Ford’s world-class Dagenham engine plant to the global ports at London Gateway and Tilbury, with an emphasis on introducing electric and autonomous vehicle technology along the A13 corridor into London.
Businesses looking to expand or reshore their operations are urged to take advantage of the tax benefits of establishing within the Freeport and being part of a customs zone, which makes it easier and cheaper to move goods into and out of the country.
Over the coming months, the Freeport partnership will progress this programme of work to create a development-ready platform to drive new investment, jobs, skills and the adoption of greener technology.
Land ready for development now – London Gateway has almost 10 million square feet of land with planning consent. While Forth Ports is completing its latest major expansion to its footprint at Tilbury2, with nearly 400 acres of land being prepared for development. The first substantial plot will be ready in Q3 2021. Ford Dagenham and the Thames Enterprise Park development site cover in excess of 1,700 acres.
Helping our customers to grow faster – through infrastructure investment, coupled with improved customs procedures, we will lower the cost of trade and transport, enabling the competitiveness, productivity and enhanced growth of existing and future businesses, following EU exit.
A wave of investment on an unprecedented scale – new inward investors will benefit from global connectivity to every continent; first-class onward road and rail connections and marine services; and skills development, innovation and automation services; alongside well-honed investment promotion and trade facilitation.
A low-carbon highway – driven by the Port of London Authority’s ambitious 2040 net zero target, the Freeport will link sites along the Thames Estuary by river into the heart of the largest market in Europe via operational wharves. This will reshape urban logistics and reduce pollution. The Freeport will support innovative, net zero technologies through support for capital investment, skills development and regulatory flexibility. This includes the promotion of investments in clean energy generation, such as the hydrogen economy.
Levelling up with 21,000 jobs – the Freeport can secure more than £1 billion in new port infrastructure and more than 21,000 new direct and indirect jobs on its estate. A Freeport will unlock many better paid jobs to guarantee regional prosperity and social mobility for generations to come. An innovative Skills Accelerator will boost the knowledge economy across the Freeport’s world-class manufacturing and logistics cluster.