The Strategic Case
Demonstrating that the intervention is needed
Plymouth and South Devon (PASD) have an identified need to level-up given the area’s performance on a range of economic indicators but the FBC identified a number of strengths on which to build. The Strategic Case described key strengths and also pinpointed the challenges to be addressed which are summarised below.
| Strengths (value proposition) | Weaknesses (shortfalls and vulnerabilities) |
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The Strategic Case described how Freeport seed capital along with the tax, customs and innovation levers provide a unique opportunity to build on strengths and overcome these issues through:
- Physical regeneration – by delivering infrastructure to unlock key employment sites and innovation assets, supporting business clustering and clean growth opportunities;
- Economic regeneration – by delivering inward investment, supply chain opportunities and productivity gains within identified growth sectors; and,
- Social regeneration – by delivering a pipeline of jobs across the spectrum of employment from entry level to higher skilled/high value with upskilling opportunities.
Activities described within the FBC are focused geographically on:
- The South Yard site – which is located near the Port, adjacent to the existing Oceansgate Enterprise Zone and will be developed as a tax site, expanding the existing Oceansgate footprint and forming the centrepiece of the Freeport’s Innovation Hotbed;
- The Langage site – which is located on greenfield land within the Eastern corridor of the city, in close proximity to the A38 Expressway and is a strategic employment allocation. It will be developed as a tax site with a customs site incorporated within it and will provide industrial and manufacturing as well as light industrial units for high value manufacturing/ engineering companies, focusing primarily but not exclusively on the marine, defence and space sectors. The site will also be home to a Green Hydrogen Electrolyser being developed by landowner Carlton Power and a Mobility Hub to deliver sustainable and low carbon transport options; and,
- The Sherford site – which is located on the opposite side of the A38 Expressway to Langage, Sherford forms part of the employment allocation of the Sherford new community. Plans are being considered to develop the site for logistics purposes with a coterminous tax and customs site boundary, providing warehousing, storage and engineering space.
Seed capital is also expected to support enhancements at the Port to enable the value and tonnage of cargoes to be expanded, thus supporting short sea shipping and an associated modal shift.
Underpinning the above, the FBC focused on:
- Working with the Department for International Trade (DIT) on national and global strategic marketing to attract investment into the area and stimulate exporting through the DIT Export Academy;
- Delivering a bespoke Innovation Strategy, engaging with the Freeport Regulation Engagement Network (FREN) on regulatory flexibilities and freedoms;
- Developing a Skills Plan, ensuring that partners can accelerate higher value employment and training opportunities whilst also enabling new employment and inclusion opportunities, education and career options and wider supply chain innovation activity. Subject to securing additional funding, a marine skills academy will provide specialist facilities capable of delivering the volumes of relevant training required in key disciplines.
It also made a commitment to acting as an exemplar in working with local partners to deliver a net zero emissions target for the area covered by the Freeport’s outer boundary and wider region significantly ahead of 2050.
These activities should lead to a range of benefits as follows:
Core Freeport Activities |
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Indicative Outputs
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(volume uplift in the above to be aligned with national Freeport M&E Framework) |
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With a strong zero carbon focus:
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| Measureable Outcomes | ||
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| Government Objectives | ||
| NATIONAL HUBS FOR GLOBAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT | PROMOTE REGENERATION AND JOB CREATION | CREATE HOTBEDS FOR INNOVATION |
In order to make a compelling case for Freeport designation, the business case that was submitted to Government followed a prescribed template that was by necessity very detailed and also contained a range of commercially sensitive information. These summaries provide a more digestible overview of the business case with commercially sensitive information removed. It should also be noted that the material presented, including all cost assumptions, was accurate at the time of submission (April 2022). The summaries have not been updated since then. We have moved forward on a number of core activities through our mobilisation phase which are not reflected in the summaries, with the Freeport Company and associated board structures having now been established. This has enabled us to start building on the hard work that went into securing Freeport designation, working with our partners to leverage exciting new opportunities for the area.