Insight
Following the February announcement of the proposed establishment of two Green Freeports in Scotland, the bidding prospectus has now been launched, welcoming bids from applicants before the 20 June 2022 deadline.
Whilst the Scottish model for Green Freeports is largely the same as the Freeport model adopted south of the border, supporting Scotland’s just transition to a net zero economy is at the heart of the Green Freeport model, and represents the main noticeable difference between the Scottish and English approaches.
As a result of this focus, applicants will be expected to outline their commitment to “submitting a robust and ambitious plan for decarbonisation within a Green Freeport and should provide an outline of that plan as part of their application.”
The prospectus details the four main objectives of the Scottish Green Freeport model as:
a. promote regeneration and high-quality job creation – our lead policy objective;
b. promote decarbonisation and a just transition to a net zero economy;
c. establish hubs for global trade and investment; and
d. foster an innovative environment.
The successful applicants will be announced in the summer of 2022.
For more information on the prospectus and the applicable deadlines, please see:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-freeports-in-scotland-bidding-prospectus/green-freeports-in-scotland-bidding-prospectus-delivered-in-partnership-by-the-scottish-government-and-the-uk-government