Learn how the Thames Freeport Masterplan is being shaped, what progress has been made, and how local communities and businesses can get involved in designing the region’s future.
The Thames Freeport Masterplan is taking shape and we want our communities, partners, and local businesses to see exactly how it is being developed, what progress has been made so far, and how you can stay involved as we move into 2026.
Developed by a consortium led by EY-Parthenon, with Stantec, The Young Foundation and SimAnalytica, the Masterplan will guide how we achieve the Freeport’s ambitions to 2045 and how we unlock real benefits for Thurrock, Havering, and Barking & Dagenham.
What the Masterplan Will Deliver
A Route Map for Growth and Investment
The Masterplan will set out how the Thames Freeport supports national, regional, and local priorities, from boosting UK trade to creating high-quality jobs for local residents. It forms the framework for coordinated investment across the three boroughs and ensures that the Freeport helps deliver the homes, infrastructure and economic opportunity the region needs.
To do this, the Masterplan is built around six core themes:
- Industry
- Investment
- Energy
- Housing
- Transport
- Amenities
Each theme sits within an overarching Strategic Masterplan, supported by three Cluster Plans focused on the tax sites at Ford Dagenham, Port of Tilbury, and DP World London Gateway.
Putting Local Communities at the Heart of the Plan
Eight Community Priorities Shaping the Masterplan
Alongside the spatial work, we have carried out community engagement across the Freeport area to understand what matters most to residents. This has resulted in eight co-developed community priorities, which are now being used to guide the design of the Masterplan:
- Promote safety, belonging and trust
- Create jobs, skills and career pathways for local people
- Celebrate culture, heritage and local creativity
- Grow a green, resilient and healthy local economy
- Improve transport, connectivity and everyday access
- Strengthen community voice, agency and accountability
- Expand digital inclusion and access for all
- Protect and improve access to nature
How the Strategic Masterplan Is Being Developed
A Structured and Evidence-Led Process
The Strategic Masterplan is created through a structured, iterative approach. Current work includes baseline analysis across:
- planning and land use
- infrastructure
- flood risk
- environmental conditions
- transport and connectivity
What the Strategic Masterplan Will Do
- Create one integrated framework for Freeport development across all locations.
- Identify strategic interventions needed to unlock economic growth.
- Align the three Cluster Plans into a single, coherent long-term vision.
- Set out a prospectus of investable opportunities, organised into short, medium and long-term priorities.
This high-level framework will underpin the Freeport’s delivery role and support long-term collaboration with local authorities, businesses, and community partners.
Developing the Cluster Plans for the Three Tax Sites
The Cluster Plans focus on the detail of each tax site and its surrounding area. They will:
- identify opportunities for investment and development
- map out infrastructure improvements
- provide spatial guidance for planning
- act as technical appendices to the Strategic Masterplan
Emerging Themes Across the Sites
Early analysis suggests three categories across the tax sites:
- Opportunity Sites – individual locations suitable for development
- Opportunity Areas – wider zones with potential for coordinated growth
- Opportunity Infrastructure – transport, energy, utilities, and public realm improvements needed to unlock development
These emerging themes will continue to evolve through stakeholder engagement, with recommended next steps set out in early 2026.
When You Can Expect to See the Masterplan
Timeline to Consultation and Publication
The development of the Masterplan will continue over the coming months, with key stages including:
- Now – February 2026: Analysis, option testing, and stakeholder engagement
- February 2026: Draft Masterplan for consultation with the Community, Businesses, and the Freeport Board
- Spring 2026: Launch of the final Masterplan
This will be a landmark document for the Thames Freeport — setting out a clear, long-term vision for growth, infrastructure, jobs, and opportunity across the region.
Next Phase of Engagement
The Young Foundation will return to the community in early 2026 to test emerging ideas from the Masterplan. These workshops will help refine the plans before they go to public consultation.
If you’d like to participate, please email Laetitia.Lucy@youngfoundation.org.
