Learn How the Thames Freeport Masterplan Is Being Shaped
The Thames Freeport Masterplan is taking shape, and we want our communities, partners and local businesses to understand 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 the Freeport achieves its ambitions through to 2045 while ensuring real benefits are delivered for Thurrock, Havering and Barking & Dagenham.
What the Masterplan Will Deliver
The Masterplan will set out how Thames Freeport supports national, regional and local priorities, from strengthening UK trade to creating high-quality jobs for local residents. It will also provide a framework for coordinated investment across the three boroughs while helping ensure the Freeport contributes to the homes, infrastructure and economic opportunities the region needs.
To support this, the Masterplan is built around six core themes:
• Industry
• Investment
• Energy
• Housing
• Transport
• Amenities
Each theme sits within an overarching Strategic Masterplan, which is supported by three Cluster Plans focused on the tax sites at Ford Dagenham, the Port of Tilbury and DP World London Gateway.
Putting Local Communities at the Heart of the Plan
Alongside the spatial work, community engagement has taken place across the Freeport area to understand what matters most to residents. This work has resulted in eight co-developed community priorities, which are now helping 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
A Structured and Evidence-Led Process
The Strategic Masterplan is being developed through a structured and iterative approach, and current work includes baseline analysis across several areas:
• planning and land use
• infrastructure
• flood risk
• environmental conditions
• transport and connectivity
What the Strategic Masterplan Will Do
The Strategic Masterplan will:
• 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 support the Freeport’s delivery role while strengthening 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 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 – improvements to transport, energy, utilities and public realm that are needed to unlock development
These themes will continue to evolve through stakeholder engagement, with recommended next steps expected 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: Publication of the final Masterplan
This will be a landmark document for 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 move forward to public consultation.
If you would like to participate, please email Laetitia.Lucy@youngfoundation.org
