Liverpool City Region Freeport

The Liverpool City Region Freeport is a multi-modal Freeport driving growth in the UK’s advanced manufacturing, biomanufacturing, logistics, and low carbon industries.

Liverpool is the country’s leading transatlantic port handling 45% of the UK’s trade from the United States. The Freeport is ideally located within areas of logistics and manufacturing capability. Its sites include several existing rail terminals and water-accessible locations, stretching across a 45-kilometre diameter from the western point of Wirral Waters to the eastern point of Port Salford.

Livepool City Region Freeport offers a range of incentives to customs, tax, planning, infrastructure and innovation. See further details on Freeport benefits.

Tax benefits are available at the Freeport’s 3 tax sites, located at:

Parkside, St Helens, ideal for advanced manufacturing and logistics businesses
3MG, Widnes, involved in the hydrogen market supporting low carbon fuels
Wirral Waters, with large areas of dockside land attractive to port-centric businesses and advanced manufacturing

Investment type:

Freeports

Sector:

(Technology, Creative industries, Biopharmaceuticals, Marine)

Michael Green

Head of Freeports and Investment Zones

Contact the opportunity lead

Get in touch

Sector and market opportunity

Liverpool City Region Freeport will focus on rebuilding global trade connectivity, starting innovative projects aimed at decarbonising road freight logistics and using these projects to drive inward investment across the region.

The Freeport is at the forefront of low carbon industries, offering the opportunity to access the North-West Hydrogen Alliance hub with a unique logistics corridor to bring suppliers and markets closer together.

The Freeport offers the opportunity for demonstration and commercial scale investment in advanced chemicals processing. The region’s North-West chemicals cluster accounts for nearly one third of the country’s chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing by gross value added (GVA).

The Liverpool City Region is an established global biomanufacturing hub, with the Freeport providing access to a competitive and interconnected biomanufacturing and pharmaceuticals space alongside a technically-skilled workforce. The region also combines traditional industrial skills with cutting-edge modern manufacturing. This enables businesses to integrate into the supply chain of existing clusters of national and international automotive, food and drink and ship building manufacturers.

Growth prospects

The Freeport will develop as a globally significant cluster of port, manufacturing, logistics and innovation activity, making a significant contribution in rebalancing UK freight and logistics.

Locating within the Freeport offers the opportunity to support national and local ambitions for net zero through the Freeport’s links to low carbon energy industries. Companies can also use Liverpool City Region Freeport as a springboard to exploit the global £4.3 trillion chemicals market opportunity, bringing in more than £21.8 billion of GVA and a turnover of £73.7 billion in the UK alone.

Location

Liverpool City Region port provides an exceptional gateway for trade connecting businesses across the UK, Europe, and beyond. Parkside, St Helens is the largest strategic employment site in the city region. Located in St Helens close to the M6 and M62, the site includes the former Parkside Colliery and is targeted at advanced manufacturing and logistics businesses.

3MG, Widnes, offers direct connections to the UK motorway network and rail access from the West Coast Main Line. 3MG is already involved in the hydrogen economy supporting capital investment in low carbon fuels and infrastructure.

Wirral Waters is located around the Birkenhead Docks. It has port connectivity, direct access to the M53 motorway and is located within the Mersey Waters Enterprise Zone. It comprises significant areas of dockside land capable of attracting a range of port-centric businesses, advanced manufacturing, innovation and research and development activities.

Connectivity

Liverpool City Region’s Freeport offers an integrated cluster of logistics assets and expertise to deliver faster, greener global market access. Extensive freight and logistics facilities support the import and export of goods to and from all major global markets.

There are 200+ flight destinations from 2 major airports within a 45-minute drive, and extensive freight and logistics facilities to support the import and export of goods to and from all major global markets.

There are 10 motorways within 10 miles, and 10 national rail-linked terminals, with only a 2-hour journey time to London.

Local talent and skills

There are 19,000+ science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students, and 19,000+ graduates in the Liverpool City Region.

Currently, there are 49,000+ people working in STEM roles and 60,000+ in skilled trades.

Region Spotlight
North of England

The North of England is recognised as a global centre for creativity and design and attracts thriving international investment. This heritage of expertise and manufacturing know-how is well established on the world stage, and historically gave birth to the Industrial Revolution.

View all investment opportunities in North of England

National government support

As specially designed areas with beneficial economic regulations, Freeports can help you achieve sustained growth, and may be able to save you time and money through:

Tax reliefs

Stamp Duty Land Tax relief
enhanced Capital Allowances for investment in plant & machinery and structures & buildings
five years of Business Rates relief
employer National Insurance contributions relief

Customs and Planning

simplified customs procedure
deferrals and exemptions from duty payments
VAT suspension within customs sites
supportive local planning environments with constructive public-private partnerships

Innovation Offer

extensive public investment in skills and infrastructure
access to the Freeport Regulation Engagement Network (FREN), enabling direct and early engagement between businesses, Freeports, and regulators
access to the Freeport Innovation Network (FIN), a collaboration vehicle for Freeports to shape and organise their innovation activity as a collective

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The government is identifying new projects across the whole of the UK. Investors who are interested in our projects can find out more by contacting us.