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Thames Freeport sets out 20-year plan

[ September 11, 2026   //   ]

Thames Freeport published its Growth Plan on 10 September, a 20-year delivery framework to unlock economic growth, investment and jobs across the Freeport area in Essex and the London boroughs of Barking & Dagenham and Havering.

Commissioned by Thames Freeport and developed by an EY-Parthenon led consortium, the Growth Plan aims to attract up to £4.9bn of additional private sector investment. It also seeks to double the capacity of Thames Freeport and deliver up to 28,000 new jobs.

The interventions proposed will be delivered by deploying an estimated £350m of Retained Business Rates, alongside public sector funding and private sector capital to support key interventions. Thames Freeport will act as a catalyst, deploying its capital to close viability gaps and accelerate delivery.

The Growth Plan establishes a roadmap for the five identified key areas of: Industry, Development and Innovation; Energy and Smart Infrastructure; Skills, Education and Employment; Housing, Place and Community; and Transport, Access and Trade Flow.

The Growth Plan will also drive investment across the Freeport’s four priority sector clusters, which include Technology and Advanced Manufacturing, Sustainable Construction, Advanced Ports and Logistics, and AI, to deliver fully occupied tax sites across the region.

Chair of Thames Freeport, Ruth Kelly, said: “The Growth Plan provides a roadmap to unlock the investment and potential that would not otherwise be possible in the area. It gives investors, government and our communities a clear, costed programme for the next 20 years, and cements Thames Freeport’s position as the Next Generation Growth Zone for London and the UK.”

Stuart Rimmer, Interim chief executive, added: “We have identified exactly what is holding back growth in this region, from energy availability to skills shortages, and the Growth Plan sets out a roadmap to unlock the area’s potential. The Growth Plan will deliver jobs, investment and trade capacity at a scale that supports the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, and we look forward to seeing the first initiatives come to life.”

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