Statement re Solent Freeport’s response to Investment Zones
PUBLISHED ON: 14 OCTOBER 2022Solent Freeport has today (Friday 14 October) published its response to the invitation from Government to convert its three Freeport Tax Sites to Investment Zones.
Please see our statement as follows:
The New Forest National Park is internationally protected for its rare landscape, wildlife and habitats and the National Park Authority (NFNPA) is the local planning authority.
The (NFNPA) is an observer at Solent Freeport meetings in a non-voting capacity to advocate the importance of environmental protection and the need to secure environmental benefits alongside economic and social benefits of a Freeport.
The voting members of the Solent Freeport Board have now submitted an Expression of Interest (EoI) in Freeport sites becoming an Investment Zone, which includes land within the National Park. The EoI recognises the importance of the New Forest and asks central government to consider an Investment Zone that retains planning and environmental protections.
The NFNPA Board will meet on Thursday 20 October to formally decide its position regarding Investment Zone status. The recommendation to the Board is: ‘The Authority does not support the principle of Investment Zone designation for sites within the National Park due to the incompatibility of a liberalised planning approach with the high level of protection afforded to the National Park’.
The full paper can be found here:
