Outline planning consent has been secured for a large industrial and logistics development at Goole, marking a significant step forward for one of the Humber region’s largest proposed employment sites.
Henry Boot has confirmed that HBD, its property investment and development arm, has obtained consent in partnership with St John’s College, Cambridge for the FREEPORT 36 scheme. The approved plans allow for the delivery of a 5.5 million sq ft industrial and manufacturing park, with the first phase anticipated to generate approximately £130 million in gross development value.
The consent covers a broad range of building sizes, from units of around 40,000 sq ft to facilities exceeding 1,000,000 sq ft. Once operational, the development is expected to support “around 3,000 jobs in the local area, and 5,500 in the wider Yorkshire and Humber region.”
Environmental performance also forms part of the approved scheme. According to the developers, the Biodiversity Net Gain calculation “forecasts over a 10% net gain for surrounding habitats.”
The 300-acre site is located next to Junction 36 of the M62, providing direct connections to Goole Docks and the M18. It also sits within close reach of the Humber Ports complex, described as “the busiest port complex in the UK,” which “handles approximately 17% of the nation’s trade and is located within a four-hour drive of about 80% of the UK’s population.”
FREEPORT 36 forms part of the Humber Freeport Goole tax site, which has already been “officially designated following review and approval by the Treasury and HM Revenue & Customs.”
Businesses located within the tax site will be eligible for a range of financial incentives. These include Business Rates Relief, enhanced capital allowances on plant and machinery, Stamp Duty Land Tax relief on qualifying land purchases, and enhanced structures and buildings allowances. Employers will also benefit from paying “0% National Insurance Contributions on the salaries of eligible new employees at the site.”
HBD became involved in the project in 2023 before submitting the outline planning application. The scheme has now received a resolution to grant consent, “subject to the conclusion of the Section 106 agreement.” The developers have indicated that detailed plans will now be drawn up, with the potential to start work on site before the end of the year.
Commenting on the decision, Henry Boot chief executive Tim Roberts said:
“Manufacturing and logistics hubs are a critical part of enabling business and economic growth across the country and HBD is bringing forward another large-scale project to support commerce in the Yorkshire region.”
He added that “the location and sustainability credentials of the development will attract high-quality, long-term occupiers in their own right,” while the site’s freeport status would provide an additional incentive.
Suzie Wood, Head of Investment Property at St John’s College, Cambridge, said:
“The approval of the planning application is an exciting step forward to delivering a state of the art Industrial and Manufacturing Park within the Freeport tax zone.”
She added that the partners were “excited by the potential of the park to bring new investment and jobs to the region.”
Finbarr Dowling, Chair of Humber Freeport, described the decision as “tremendous news” and said it represented “another major milestone in developing the Humber’s economy.” He highlighted that “the locational advantages of Goole, along with its strong industrial cluster and Freeport incentives, offer end users a real competitive advantage.”
