Commenting he said:
“We welcome the publication of today’s Industrial Strategy and support the strong focus on growing the economy, investing in transport and increasing trade.
The Strategy rightly recognizes that ports are hubs for employment and it includes a welcome suggestion that improving connections to ports can help to promote trade and create jobs.
For our own sector we would also encourage measures that enable ports to develop and grow to be included in the Strategy. These include fast track planning and consenting, and protection from development conditions that we have suggested previously in our ‘Port Zones’ concept.”
UK ports collectively employ around 120,000 people, handling 500m tonnes of freight each year which represents over 95% of UK trade.
Port zoning is the BPA’s new concept that would see port areas classified as areas for growth, enabling fast track planning and marine consents and safeguarded against unintended restrictions created by environmental and planning designations.
Government strategy needs to focus on port connectivity and planning says BPA CEO Ballantyne
