HARWICH’S former MP has called for the town to be made the priority for development as part of the Freeport bid.
Ivan Henderson, who worked on the docks for 20 years, has backed the bid by Freeport East, a group made up of businesses and local authorities, calling on the Government to assign freeport status to Harwich and Felixstowe.
If approved, the group estimates 13,000 new jobs and 150 apprenticeships could be created in the region, while the freeport zone would attract £500million of investment over the next five years.
Mr Henderson has called for Harwich to be the priority for development rather than the Port of Felixstowe, which is the UK’s largest container port.
He said: “As a local person and having worked at the dock for several years, we have looked across the river at Felixstowe and watched it expand year on year.
“We have just had to wonder when it would be our turn.
“The whole town celebrated in 2005 when Hutchison Ports got permission from the Government to develop Bathside Bay, but we then had the economic crash and the demand for container trade that was expected didn’t happen.
“Hutchison then decided to expand Felixstowe South as their priority and Bathside Bay has remained undeveloped.
“The people of Harwich have bene living in disappointment at being overlooked and missing out on the potential benefits for employment and prosperity.
“I really welcome plans for future developments, but I’m asking that the future development of Bathside Bay is made the top priority before further development in Felixstowe.”
Mr Henderson added that it is also “critical” the promised dualling of the A120 to Harwich takes place to encourage economic development in the proposed freeport zone.
Clemence Cheng, executive director of Hutchison Ports, said: “Freeport East is uniquely placed to deliver on the Government’s objectives for Freeports, to provide hubs for global trade and investment, promote regeneration and create hotbeds for innovation.
“Working with our local councils, Local Enterprise Partnerships, partners and innovators we will deliver a green energy hub that will help deliver net-zero transport systems and complement sustainable developments in other regions.”
He said benefits will spread to other sites earmarked for development, such as Horsley Cross and Bathside Bay, as well as Great Blakenham, Gateway 14, the Parker and Anzani Avenue areas of Felixstowe and the Port of Felixstowe Logistics Park.
George Kieffer, chairman of the Freeport East project board
George Kieffer, chairman of the project board, said Harwich plays a key part in the bid, with proposals to develop Bathside Bay as a tax and customs site as well as an innovation hub attracting around half of the investment.
Freeport status means areas will benefit from tax reliefs and simplified customs procedures in order to encourage economic activity.
The Government, which is expected to make its decision on freeport bids in March, sees the creation of more freeports as a means of boosting trade following Brexit.
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