East Midlands Makes Green Growth Freeport Bid

Landmark opportunity to create thousands of jobs and boost the East Midlands economy

Leonard Design Architects are very excited be involved in the East Midlands Freeport bid which was submitted to government on Friday 5th February.

The bid, by a consortium led by the two local enterprise partnerships that represent Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby, Derbyshire, Leicester, and Leicestershire, forms part of wider plans to bring investment in alternative green energies, industry, green research and technologies, transport infrastructure and new homes to the region.

The freeport bid if successful, is expected to bring 60,000 new jobs to the East Midlands, and is based around 3 sites in the 3 counties; East Midlands Airport and Gateway Industrial Cluster (EMAGIC) in North West Leicestershire, Uniper’s Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station site in Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire and the East Midlands Intermodal Park (EMIP) in South Derbyshire.

The Government is expected to create 10 new Freeports in the UK. Championed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak, the freeport zones are set to attract national and international business investment, by offering tax reliefs, simplified customs procedures, and streamlined planning processes.