‘It will come, like Christmas’ – NFDC leader calls for patience on freeport

THE leader of NFDC has called for patience on the progress of the Solent Freeport, insisting “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. Cllr Jill Cleary defended the merits of the designated area, which offers tax breaks and retained business rates to support investment, skills and employment, writes Jason Lewis. The Solent Freeport is split across eight different locations in the New Forest, Southampton, Eastleigh, Portsmouth and Havant.

A large area of the New Forest is included in the Solent Freeport

The areas in the New Forest are all along Southampton Water, with Solent Gateway and Associated British Ports land reserve at Marchwood, ExxonMobil Fawley and Fawley Waterside.

Earlier this year, a GBP1 billion Fawley Waterside scheme to build a new town on the former power station was scrapped. At a district council meeting, Liberal Democrat member Mark Clark asked Cllr Cleary if she would apologise for “leading everyone up the garden path about the magical benefits” of the freeport two years ago. The Conservative leader of the council clarified that the now-abandoned ExxonMobil carbon capture scheme was never a freeport-related project.

She said the ExxonMobil FAST project, which will lead to the production of ultra-low sulphur diesel, was on the tax site and it was on track to be operational in the new year.

The Solent Gateway tax site was “progressing well”, Cllr Cleary said. “Once live, the retained business rates from these two sites will begin to accrue and as far as I am aware the new plant will require people to operate it as will the new activities planned for the Gateway site, ergo job creation,” Cllr Cleary said. “Yes, the withdrawal of the Fawley (Waterside) planning application is unfortunate but the prospect of there being viable commercial space within the Fawley Waterside tax site is still very real.”

Cllr Cleary said the freeport had a 25-year designation and in her role as leader she took a long-term view. She added: “Rome wasn’t built in a day, Cllr Clark, and it is slightly disappointing that you are not able to see the bigger picture in terms of what the freeport will bring to our area and our residents over the medium to long term.” Cllr Clark said the council leader’s view was one of being “strapped to your own personal deckchair on the Titanic”.

He added: “Yes it may not arrive tomorrow or the next day, but I would like to know when the next major announcement is of those that will use the freeport and the tax sites in the near future.

“When will it happen and don’t tell me 25 years.”

Cllr Jill Cleary

Cllr Cleary replied: “It is a 25-year span. It will happen soon. “I do promise you we will start seeing some further movement.

“I am constantly talking to the freeport. I am constantly talking to the other bodies that are involved in it. “I promise you.

Just watch this space.

Have a bit more patience.

It will come, rather like Christmas.”