A freeport will provide greater security for the future of steelmaking in Scunthorpe according to civic leaders on the South Humber Bank.
The bid is to be submitted on Friday, and further details have emerged which include making British Steel’s flagship plant a customs site.
Also included are Inter Terminals at Immingham, as well as P&O Ferries, IBL Bulk Liquids, AAK International and two UM Group sites in Hull, as well as ABP’s four Humber ports.
Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council and chair of the Humber Leaders Board, told how the sites will “create the conditions to develop a greater competitive edge in global markets by reducing tariffs”.
The Energy Estuary’s bid to Chancellor Rishi Sunak has been described as the “most compelling bid for freeport status that the 海角视频 government will get to consider” when finalised on Monday.
It is hoped that thousands of well-paid, sustainable jobs will be created as the area becomes a global gateway for trade and investment.
Cllr Waltham said: “Now we are free from the yoke of the European Union the Government is able to create opportunities that will give the people and businesses here in North Lincolnshire the chance to better compete on a global stage.
“We are working closely with the areas MPs who support this bid and they will be working closely with ministers to seeking support for this proposal, which is unique in offer regionally, nationally and internationally.
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“Levelling up is about create the right conditions for businesses to thrive across the whole of the 海角视频 and to create well paid, sustainable jobs
“We want the businesses owners to make some money along the way too – that’s a good thing; we want to attract more wealth creators into North Lincolnshire and we want to create the conditions for existing businesses to become even more competitive.
“This is an ambitious project which will make the area compete even more on a global stage and Government policy is shifting towards that.
“This investment, across a number of years, will create thousands of jobs and in turn have a significant impact on the region's prosperity for years to come."
Freeports offer three types of sites within the designated boundary - customs, tax and seed capital.
The first two are designed to attract new businesses and encourage existing companies to invest in equipment, machinery and people and give them a competitive edge over rivals across the world by slashing tariffs.
The seed capital sites will allow for business rates on new developments to be pooled locally and used to further invest in roads and infrastructure.
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Able Marine Energy Park - fully consented and the last undeveloped deep water access on the estuary - a Hull East Cluster and Goole J36 industrial zone will all be designated as tax sites in the plans.
Humberside Airport had been flagged as a potential site to directly benefit from the freeport tools, but organic growth on the back of success achievable earlier elsewhere saw it removed as the criteria emerged. Hull West and South Humber Industrial Investment Programme also missed tax classification for geographical balance across the estuary.
AMEP is also tapping into the Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Support Scheme, funding to help deliver a globally significant integrated offshore wind manufacturing cluster and bespoke port facility, ultimately employing 1,600 people.
Holly Mumby-Croft, Scunthorpe MP, is backing the bid. She said: “I am working with my colleagues Andrew Percy and Martin Vickers to support this important bid to Government.
“Freeport status brings a number of advantages for job creation and business opportunities and will seek to transform the fortunes of North Lincolnshire and even the region.
“This coupled with the millions identified for Scunthorpe means we can start to plan for a positive future.”
The bid will also need blessing for some shape-shifting, with guidelines from government suggesting a 45km circle boundary.
“It is the bid team’s assertion that we cannot submit an outer boundary which truly reflects the economic geography of the Humber,” local authorities have been told. “There will need to be a core outer boundary and an economic case for inclusion of Goole as a freeport site based on that strong economic rationale.”