Freeport roadshow coming to Forest
SMALL to medium enterprise (SME) operators in the New Forest are being urged to find out how Solent Freeport can work for them. The freeport is running a regional roadshow to talk to business leaders and "gauge growth ambitions" at Marchwood village hall from 8am to 1pm on 16th October. Brian Johnson, chair of Solent Freeport, said: "Businesses, particularly small to medium enterprises (SMEs), are the lifeblood of our region - and we want to find out what makes them tick and how we, as a freeport, can get involved to offer help and support.
Solent Freeport is running a series of roadshows for SME owners, including one in the Forest
"Our drop-in sessions are designed for businesses in the Solent to discuss their growth ambitions and what support they may need to achieve this, particularly around skills, international trade, innovation, decarbonisation and business growth.
"It is important for us to offer a listening ear, take the business temperature and understand the ongoing requirements of directors and business leaders in order to formulate our own policies going forwards." Solent Freeport is one of twelve UK special areas that have been created by government to boost investment into parts of the country that many say have "historically missed out", benefitting from a "generous package" of incentives. A spokesperson for the Solent Freeport said: "It aims to accelerate the creation of high-quality employment space, with investment specifically targeted at state-of-the-art growth sectors and ground-breaking approaches to decarbonisation and green innovation.
"Freeports benefit from tax reliefs, simplified customs procedures, streamlined planning processes to promote regeneration and innovation, and seed funding for skills training.
They operate with both 'tax' and 'customs' sites."
They added that in the Solent's case, land earmarked for tax sites includes various sites in Southampton and the Waterside.