The North East Scotland Green Freeport bid has today secured crucial backing from a senior figure in the SNP.
Aberdeen South MP Stephen Flynn has written to the UK chancellor urging him to back the north east’s bid to secure the tax status.
In his letter he said the region’s bid “must be at the forefront” of any decision on investment if the UK was “serious about the challenges of the future in terms of energy security and net zero”.
The Conservative-led UK Government and SNP-Green run Scottish Government will together choose two areas in Scotland to win the status which brings with it the ability to attract investors and employers through tax incentives and a share of a £52million government funding pot.
The North East of Scotland Green Freeport consortium – led by the Port of Aberdeen, Peterhead Port Authority, Aberdeen International Airport, and the region’s two councils recently unveiled their intent to bid and said it could create 30,000 jobs and deliver a £7.5 billion boost to the economy if it was successful.
He wrote: “Aberdeen and the north east is the home of our energy sector and it is uniquely placed to use a green freeport to help meet both the Scottish and UK Governments net zero ambitions, deliver jobs and boost the economy.
“It is estimated that a successful bid will create 30,000 jobs and deliver a £7.5bn financial boost by harnessing our offshore industry expertise and supply chains, something which is critical to the success of the north east, but also the entire country as we look towards a low carbon energy future.
“The bid is supported by industry experts, politicians across the political spectrum and forms part of a coherent strategy with the development of the new south harbour, plans for an Energy Transition Zone in Aberdeen and, with the Acorn project placed on your reserve list, carbon capture facilities.
“If we are serious about the challenges of the future in terms of energy security and net zero, then Aberdeen and the wider North East must be at the forefront of investment.
“We have the expertise and innovation to drive economies across these islands forward and deliver our shared ambitions for growth and net zero and I urge you to back the North East Scotland Green Freeport bid.”
What will Green Freeport bring?
North East Scotland Green Freeport will comprise a special economic zone within which a number of levers and tax incentives will be available to attract new inward investment and support expansion of existing businesses to invest, innovate and develop the skills needed to deliver a wide range of pioneering new projects.
The ambitious proposals will secure vital trade and support the acceleration of innovation, diversification and decarbonisation of the region’s key sectors:
- Stimulating local and wider regeneration, amplifying the value of the Green Freeport investment to level up deprived communities and enable and accelerate a just transition.
- Deliver a globally recognised integrated energy cluster focussed on the delivery of Net Zero contributing significantly to national energy and economic security.
- Leverage private sector investment to attract new manufacturing and subsea engineering companies which will maximise the significant opportunities for the regional and Scottish supply chain provided by ScotWind and INTOG licensing.
- Accelerating the delivery of Acorn, Scotland’s only carbon capture cluster, and establishing Europe’s largest direct air capture facility on the Buchan coast.
- Accelerating the impacts of a new Green Hydrogen Production and Distribution Hub to produce the renewable gas for regional and national markets, and ultimately export.
- Capitalising on the brand new £400million Aberdeen South Harbour expansion which provides 24 hour non tidal access and deep-water facilities on the East Coast.
- Harness the region’s existing expertise in freight logistics across global supply chains and become a UK test-bed for the development of innovative solutions for future trade systems, including the use of drone technology across ports and customs infrastructure.
- Stimulating investment in innovation and automation to transform our crucial seafood sector, supporting to increase world class food and drink exports to the world.
Businesses urged to support bid
With several other ports submitting bids, the winning regions will need to demonstrate strong private sector support.
Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce is drafting an open letter of support which businesses can sign to back the bid.
Click here to add your support.