Plymouth’s waterfront and port look set to play “leading roles” in the city’s plans to create more opportunities for local people and continue to grow high value sectors.
The city is pitching for £19.9m of investment under the Government’s Levelling Up fund to unlock a £43.5m package of transformational infrastructure projects.
Three key projects are being put forward by making the most of the opportunities made available through the area’s Freeport status, as well as to help create a city where “everyone can reach their potential”.
The projects include cover marine innovation, modernisation of port infrastructure and a transformed waterfront.
Across the trio, derelict buildings will be repurposed, a Freeport innovation centre will be established and port infrastructure will be upgraded.
The centre will be in the recently-designated Freeport tax site at South Yard, with the modelling estimating that the move will create 211 direct jobs.
Council leader Richard Bingley said: “These projects have been carefully selected as schemes, which have the potential to make the biggest difference to our economy and to the people who live here.
“Improvements to the port, for instance, have the potential to have a huge knock-on effect – encouraging more hauliers to consider Millbay as an option, which creates massive opportunity for our businesses and residents.
“We are also keen to ensure the next generation of workers have the skills they need to be part of the city’s success story and to have access to these better jobs and better pay.”