An experienced civil servant has been brought in as the chief executive of the country’s only inland freeport.
Tom Newman-Taylor will take over management of the special economic area around East Midlands Airport in March.
The East Midlands Freeport (EMF) is made up of three zones – around the Castle Donington airport, the Ratcliffe on Soar power station redevelopment site and the East Midlands Intermodal Park near Toyota in Derbyshire – with businesses benefitting from preferential planning rules and tax incentives.
Freeport free zones were the brainchild of PM Rishi Sunak when he was Chancellor to offer industry the incentive of enclosed customs areas exempt from some tax and customs rules.
It is hoped they will play a part in revitalising the UK economy following the economic harm done by Brexit.
The Government says the three East Midlands tax sites could support 61,000 jobs and bring an extra £8.4 billion into the local economy over 30 years.
Mr Newman-Taylor has had a number of senior roles in government, most recently with the Department for Levelling Up, Communities and Housing, and the Department for Transport, where he has worked on big commercial and strategic projects across transport, energy and housing.
He was also deputy director in the Maritime Directorate where, during Covid-19, he ran the cross-Government Critical Freight Taskforce which helped prevent the collapse of international and domestic freight networks.
He has developed government strategies across housing and transport, including a long-term environmental strategy for the maritime sector, and earlier in his career helped deliver billion-pound government investments into train and railway improvements.
He also spent time in industry as commercial projects lead with Associated British Ports where he was responsible for establishing a master planning programme.
He said: “I am hugely excited by the potential which EMF offers to bring growth to a strategically significant part of the UK.
“A successful freeport will bring lasting benefits to the East Midlands by attracting significant new investment and creating high quality jobs for the communities who live around our sites.
“I cannot wait to help realise this ambition and help bring together local public and private sector partners on behalf of the East Midlands and the UK.”
Freeport chair Nora Senior CBE said: “We are delighted to have attracted an individual of the calibre and with the experience that Tom brings.
“His knowledge of government departments and policies will be a significant advantage in allowing the Freeport to access and build on trade and innovation opportunities to the benefit of prospective occupiers on the site.”
EMF is England’s only inland Freeport. Focused on low carbon and renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, advanced logistics and research and development, it is anticipated to create over 61,000 jobs in the region and deliver a regional GVA uplift to the East Midlands of £8.4bn.
The EMF Board is made up of 12 members: SEGRO; Maritime Transport; Uniper UK; Etwall Land Limited (Severn Trent); Goodman; East Midlands Airport; Leicestershire County Council; Derbyshire County Council; Nottinghamshire County Council; North West Leicestershire District Council; South Derbyshire District Council; and Rushcliffe Borough Council.
