East Midlands Freeport sets out investment strategy

East Midlands Freeport recently published its first Investment Strategy and 2025/26 Business Plan, outlining how over GBP1 billion in funding will be used to drive infrastructure, skills and sustainable energy development in the region.

These plans set out how the freeport is going to use retained business rates and other funding tools to unlock development, attract investment and support growth across its three nationally significant sites: East Midlands Airport and Gateway Industrial Cluster; East Midlands Intermodal Park; and the former Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station site. This approach is backed by the UK Government's Industrial Strategy[2] and developed in close partnership with local authorities, site developers, and the East Midlands Combined County Authority[3] (EMCCA). It reflects the freeport's core role in delivering targeted, long-term economic growth for the region.

The Government's Investment Strategy outlines how East Midlands Freeport will re-invest GBP1 billion through retained business rates and complementary funding; deliver enabling infrastructure and unlock development-ready sites; launch a Skills and Communities Fund in 2025; support the clean energy, logistics, and advanced manufacturing sectors; help create 28,000 new jobs; and deliver GBP9 billion in wider economic impact. This strategy ensures that investment is deployed in a way that supports national priorities while delivering long-term value for communities and businesses in the East Midlands. The Business Plan sets out how resource and investment will be targeted in the year ahead -- supporting site activation, investor engagement and workforce development, and builds on early progress, securing GBP150 million of investment and creating over 850 jobs, and outlines the next steps to scale activity across all three sites.

Priority areas include: infrastructure planning and early works; occupier attraction in key growth sectors; delivery of inclusive skills programmes; strategic collaboration with local and national partners; and governance and impact measurement to track results. Tom Newman-Taylor, East Midlands Freeport's CEO, said: "These plans show how the freeport is unlocking development, attracting investment and building value for the region. It is delivering with purpose - backed by strong partnerships and focused on sectors that will define the UK's economic future.

We are proud to be part of a strong ecosystem supporting growth that is targeted, inclusive and aligned with both national strategy and regional priorities."

East Midlands Freeport is the UK's only inland freeport and a key delivery vehicle for regional growth.

With delivery already underway, these plans confirm how funding and activity will be scaled - aligning national ambition with local opportunity.

References

1. ^ East Midlands Freeport (www.emfreeport.com)
2. ^ UK Government's Industrial Strategy (www.gov.uk)
3. ^ East Midlands Combined County Authority (www.eastmidlands-cca.gov.uk)