Freeport East has today published analysis setting out a future scenario for green hydrogen demand that could underpin the development of a Green Hydrogen Hub across its economic area.

Yesterday (Wednesday 1st February 2023), Mid Suffolk District Councillors joined representatives from Jaynic, parish councillors and partners involved in the Gateway 14 development for a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the first road on the site built by the infrastructure contractor Jackson Civil Engineering Ltd.

Construction of a state-of-the-art distribution unit for garden and leisure products retailer The Range is officially underway at Gateway 14.

Yesterday’s ‘ground-breaking’ ceremony (Thursday 26^th January 2023) saw Mid Suffolk District Council leader Cllr Suzie Morley and Alex Simpkin, CEO of The Range put the first spades in the ground to officially mark the start of the development.

 Once completed, The Range, one of the fastest growing retailers in the UK, is set to create around 1650 jobs for the district. The Range already has two existing major distribution centres in the UK and the new site will help meet consumer demand in the South and South East of the country while also supporting operations across the UK including 100 new stores across the UK and a rapidly expanding e-commerce business.

Freeport East has appointed Steven Wilson as its new Head of Innovation.  He will lead engagement with universities, colleges, R&D centres, large and small businesses and a range of public and private funders and investors to ensure that Freeport East builds an innovation cluster that supports local businesses and communities and helps position the region for greater inward investment and skills opportunities.

The appointment follows Freeport East receiving final Government approvals on 10th January and the release of £25m of seed capital to support early development.

Freeport East has received final Government approvals today (Tuesday 10 January) allowing it to move forward into the delivery phase.

The development of the Freeport, which is expected to create up to 13,500 new jobs, will be boosted by £25 million in Government funding to support infrastructure enhancement.

Welcoming the news, Steve Beel, Chief Executive of Freeport East, said:

“This is a major milestone for Freeport East and the result of a great deal of hard work from all our partner organisations. Freeport East is a locally led initiative but has global connections and ambition.

“Bringing together key stakeholders including local government, the private sector, and educational institutions we will attract new investment to create a hotbed for trade, innovation and green energy driving growth in both the regional and national economies.

“We will look to partner and collaborate with all organisations interested in the economic success of the region and encourage parties to get in touch with us directly.”

Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison said:

“Today is a historic day for many port towns and coastal communities across East Anglia, as Freeport East takes flight.

“This Freeport is going to give local economies a massive boost, unlock a new state of the art business space and create tens of thousands of highly skilled jobs.

“We are maximising the opportunities of leaving the European Union to drive growth and throw our doors open to trade with the world.”

Freeport East covers an area within roughly 45 kilometres of the ports of Felixstowe and Harwich, stretching from Woodbridge in the north, to Stowmarket in the west and Jaywick Sands in the south. Colchester and Ipswich are both key parts of the Freeport economic area.

19 October 2022

Freeport East has continued to make strides towards full operations in recent weeks. 

Having appointed their first permanent Chief Executive back in September, Freeport East has now appointed a new Chair of the Board. 

Mark Lemmon takes over from George Kieffer who had been covering the post on a temporary basis.  Mr Lemmon has a background in infrastructure finance and is also a Governor at South Bank University and Deputy Chair of the Board at Shoreham Port. His appointment was backed unanimously at the Freeport East Supervisory Board on Monday.

17 October 2022

Detailed planning consent has been given for the first unit at Freeport East Gateway 14. The unit will be occupied by home, garden and leisure products retailer The Range and create an estimated 1,650 jobs. Gateway 14 Ltd is wholly-owned by Freeport East partner Mid Suffolk District Council. Work on the distribution unit is expected to start in January, with a completion date target of autumn 2023.

21 September 2022

Steve Beel has joined Freeport East, one of 8 Freeports across England established by the Government, as its first permanent Chief Executive.

Steve has over 20 years’ experience across a range of infrastructure sectors in the UK and overseas, covering infrastructure planning, financing, procurement and operations. Most recently he has been working in Zambia as a British Diplomat with the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

First Business Commits to Freeport East

Home, garden and leisure products retailer The Range is to occupy a high quality, sustainable logistics unit of approaching 1.2m sq. ft. on the Freeport East Gateway 14 site.

Conditional contracts have been exchanged to develop the distribution unit on a freehold turnkey basis with Gateway 14 Ltd which is wholly Mid Suffolk District Council, a partner of Freeport East, and be being delivered by Jaynic.

Construction of the first phase of Freeport East began today with a ‘ground-breaking’ ceremony in which Mid Suffolk District Council leader Cllr Suzie Morley put the first spade in the ground on the Gateway 14 development. Gateway 14 is one of three tax sites within Freeport East which are set to create hundreds of jobs for the area, boost the local economy and attract investment into the region. 

13 December 2021

Freeport East passes major Milestone

Freeport East has moved a significant step closer to fulfilling its vision. The outline business case has been formally approved by Government, the three tax sites in Felixstowe, Harwich and at Gateway 14 near Stowmarket have been agreed, published on GOV.UK and Statutory Instruments laid to enshrine them in legislation. 

A study into how Freeport East can potentially become both a net-zero port and a net-zero energy hub for third parties and adjacent region, has been selected as one of the beneficiaries of the Department for Transport’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC). This will leverage opportunities such as the local presence of existing and new-build nuclear power stations at Sizewell. 

Freeport East was one of eight new Freeports announced today (3 March 2021) by Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his budget speech.

Reacting to the news, George Kieffer, Chairman of the Freeport East Project Board, said:

“We are delighted to have been chosen by the Chancellor as one of the first new Freeports in the UK for a number of years. Freeport East offers a unique opportunity to build a truly global trade hub at the same time as accelerating opportunities in green energy and helping level-up the economy. We look forward to working with Government to further develop our business plan and to realising the potential that this opportunity represents.”

The proposed new Freeport East, centred on the ports of Felixstowe and Harwich, will turbo-charge the development of an offshore wind hub according to the partnership of businesses and public authorities backing the bid.

The planned Freeport East Hydrogen Hub will be one of the world’s most exciting and innovative nuclear, hydrogen, maritime and transport decarbonisation schemes.

As a pillar of the Freeport East bid, it could begin to create significant numbers of new jobs within the next 12 months and will demonstrate the UK’s Net Zero capabilities in the build-up to COP26.

At its peak, the project, which will be delivered in partnership with Ryse-Hydrogen and Sizewell C developers, EDF, will produce 1GW of hydrogen - 20% of the 5GW target in the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution.

Clemence Cheng, Managing Director Hutchison Ports Europe has been interviewed by the ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales). Talking about Freeport East he said:

“We have exciting plans, as part of our bid, to drive innovation in digital technology and decarbonisation for our port operations, which could act as a pathfinder for other ports and other industries. The UK Government’s Freeport objectives are to boost inward investment by creating global trade hubs, driving innovation and tackling deprivation. These objectives reflect that ports are uniquely placed to drive productivity, jobs and growth. They provide access to raw materials and routes to market for businesses large and small, and they can be magnets for investment in coastal communities, many of which suffer from high levels of deprivation.”

A new freeport for the East of England could create 13,500 jobs in the region – as part of an investment of more than half-a-billion pounds.

The figures were set out in a bid submitted by Freeport East, ahead of the Government’s deadline (midday, Friday 5 February) as part of its compelling argument for the designation.

Public and private sector leaders have set out their joint vision for a new Freeport on the East Coast.

Freeport East would focus on the Port of Felixstowe and Harwich International Port – both owned by Hutchison Ports – and be a strategic hub linking UK importers and exporters with suppliers and customers across the globe, situated as it is at the heart of vital trading routes to Asia and Northern Europe.

Hutchison Ports Port of Felixstowe will be the largest UK port to deploy 5G technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) to enhance productivity, efficiency and safety across its core operations.

Using a 5G Private Network installed by Three UK, the port's installation has been selected as part of the Government's 5G Trials and Testbeds Programme to drive investment and innovation in 5G and to support the development of new use cases and commercial deployment.