Green Freeports Programme: business and regulatory impact assessment (BRIA)

Footnotes

1 See the 2019 Select Committee on Regenerating Seaside Towns and Communities report for an overview.

2 ‘Of the UK’s 30 largest ports, 17 are in the bottom quartile of Local Authorities when ranked by the ONS’ Index of Multiple Deprivation and three quarters are in ‘below average’ Local Authorities’ (p.5) The Free Ports Opportunity

3 See Green Freeport selection decision-making note: The Selection Decision Making Note.

4 Tax sites should be “underdeveloped” so that the tax measures support areas with economic potential, rather than already economically successful sites. Under this broad, economic definition, empty land, brownfield land, under-utilised land with some construction and vacant premises are some examples of what might be considered “underdeveloped”. See 3.1.26 of the Green Freeports Bidding Prospectus for more information.

5 Once a Green Freeport is selected, a series of economic analysis is performed to establish a ‘synthetic counterfactual area’. This ‘area’ uses complex economic analysis to create an artificial geography within the UK with high comparability to the Green Freeport area in terms of recent socioeconomic characteristics and trends. The ‘synthetic counterfactual area’ does not host a Freeport or Green Freeport intervention. The performance between the Green Freeport area and the ‘synthetic counterfactual area’ are tracked over time to gauge the added value provided by the Green Freeport intervention.

6 Tax sites are designated following outline business case approval. Customs sites are designated, and up to £25 million seed capital is made available, after full business case approval.

7 For the full list of OBC and FBC requirements for Green Freeports during their setup phase, see here

8 Figures in the scenarios correct as of March 2024.

9 Busso, M; Gregory, J; and Kline, P. (2013). Assessing the Incidence and Efficiency of a Prominent Place Based Policy. American Economic Review, 103(2): 897-947.

10 Maps of Freeports, Freeport customs sites and Freeport tax sites boundaries - GOV.UK