Following the announcement of the North East Scotland Green Freeport (NESGF) consortium’s bid to win one of two proposed freeport zones in Scotland Douglas Lumsden has reiterated his support.
The group bid, which brings together Peterhead Port Authority, Port of Aberdeen, Aberdeen International Airport, and Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils, has the potential of delivering 30,000 jobs across the North East of Scotland.
“Freeport status would be game-changing for the North East economy which has been badly hit in recent years. As the home of the energy capital of Europe this would support the North East as a critical component in promoting the energy transition across Scotland”
The huge job creating potential that freeport status would bring, 14,000 across the freeport zone and a further 16,000 across the wider region, would super charge the North East’s post-pandemic recovery and it’s energy transition.
Having been a long supporter of establishing a freeport in the North East Douglas express his pleasure at seeing the region move on step closer to reaching that goal. “Myself and my Scottish Conservative colleagues from council to Parliament have remained stalwart supporters of a freeport in the North East, it is great to see that other parties have come round to it”.
However, Douglas highlighted his disappointment that Scotland remains behind the rest of the UK where, in England, eight sites have already been given the green light back in 2021. “The SNPs hesitancy over working effectively with the UK Government to deliver for Scotland and the North East has meant that we are behind the curve. However, with this announcement I hope we will see everyone put their full weight behind the bid”.
