Summary: In 2000, EastPort Great Yarmouth Limited set out its vision for the future: a brand new outer harbour with state-of-the-art facilities, opening up a whole new world of trade opportunities for businesses in the region and returning the port to a leading position as a European gateway

The report summarises progress since then and potential impact upon the Economy of South Norfolk.

Conclusions: Eastport represents opportunities for the whole of the region and its impact will be felt in South Norfolk. Our support of its bid throughout the process will reap its own rewards through job creation and tourism spend. However we should remain cautious on assessing the extent of the latter. It is important that Panel members recognise the progress made thus far and understand the potential for structural changes to the local economy as a result

1.1. In 2000, EastPort Great Yarmouth Limited set out its vision for the future: a brand new outer harbour with state-of-the-art facilities, opening up a whole new world oftrade opportunities for businesses in the region and returning the port to aleading position as a European gateway. 

1.2. Positioned as it is on one of the strategic Trans-European Network routes, GreatYarmouth is already a sizeable regional port with a large adjoining industrial area.The port handles general cargo, mainly for distribution to the local area. It is als othe principal UK base for the oil and gas industry in the Southern North Sea.However, the limited facilities are not currently suitable for larger commercial vessels, including roll-on/roll-off freight ferries.

1.3. The relative remoteness of Great Yarmouth has helped to restrict economic growth in recent years with the result of higher than average rates ofunemployment and low wage levels. Eastport will bring renewal to the town’s economic growth and confidence as both the public and private sector tackle the pockets of severe deprivation and social exclusion while working to improve thearea’s skills base and infrastructure.

1.4. The proposed EastPort, situated at the mouth of the River Yare is well placed to deliver ease and speed of navigation, with quick turn-round of vessels. Great Yarmouth is ideally located for a three-times daily ferry service each way to The Netherlands, offering the shortest route across the North Sea between the UK and the major Netherlands ports. The proposed harbour also caters for larger vessels which cannot access Great Yarmouth’s existing harbour, including general cargo and specialist offshore vessels.

1.5. The Outer Harbour will also reclaim significant amounts of underused land in Great Yarmouth, spur a major redevelopment and renewal of the area's infrastructure and provide new, year-round employment, as well as boosting local tourism and many other regional benefits.

2.1. The design of the project has come a long way since the concept was first mooted in the 1980s. The Outer Harbour will provide sufficient space for vessels of up to 210 metres length and 8.5 metres draught at all states of the tide, with at least one dedicated roll-on/roll-off terminal. There is also space for another, when required, and two general purpose quays will also be available

2.2. The project has also taken an important step forward with the selection of Superfast Ferries SA as the preferred bidder to provide a daily ferry service to the Netherlands. Superfast already operate the Rosyth to Zeebrugge service.

2.3. It is envisioned that this service would run to the port of IJmuiden, situated at the mouth of the Amsterdam canal just a few miles west of Amsterdam. The route between Great Yarmouth and IJmuiden is just 103 nautical miles - shorter than any current UK-Netherlands route.

2.4. To ensure a sound and successful commercial future for EastPort and Great commercial partners.

2.5. A multi-million pound funding bid has also been made to the European Objective 2 programme, co-ordinated by the Government Office for the East of England.

3.1. The East of England Development Agency (“EEDA”) and central government have fully appraised EastPort’s business case. In January 2005, the Department for Transport gave approval to the use of public funding to support the project and subsequently confirmation was received on an £18m public funding package to support the development.

3.2. In March 2005 the Outer Harbour scheme received approval from the Department of Trade and Industry to allow the East of England Development Agency to invest £8.75 million in the project.

3.3. In July 2005 Great Yarmouth's Outer Harbour project cleared another hurdle following the Department of Transport's decision to make a Harbour Revision Order, effectively giving planning permission for it to be built.

3.4. This means that EastPort now have all the necessary tools in place to progress to the next stage, which is to seek the private investment required to close the deal.

3.5. The harbour is projected to create around 1,000 jobs, bring over 120,000 extra visitors a year to the region and bring further significant private sector investment to an area earmarked for regeneration.

3.6. The primary rationale for public funding of EastPort rests on the social benefits of regenerating a deprived area and reducing local unemployment. The decision on funding is therefore based on the weight attached to the social and wider economic regeneration benefits which it could bring to Great Yarmouth and its

3.7. It is the intention of the U.K. authorities that the development of the outer harbour be implemented through a public-private partnership (“PPP”), with part of the financing coming from the public sector. The public funding from state resources is approximately £13.425 million (€19.5 million) coming from the East of England Development Authority, Norfolk County Council and Great Yarmouth Borough Council. Additionally the sum of £4.575 million (€6.78m) of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) has been applied for financing under Objective 2. This is the subject of a separate Major Project Notification to the European Commission.

3.8. Financing for the Yarmouth outer harbour looks almost guaranteed following a flurry of interest from the private sector. With the deadline or expressions of interest in funding the scheme passing recently, Eastport UK Ltd officials say hopes are high that the necessary partnerships will be secured.

4.1. Undoubtedly, the regeneration of EastPort will impact upon the nature and substance of

4.2. Distribution networks, previously limited by our rural location, will be augmented as this route becomes a major new transport artery to Northern Europe from theMidlands, bringing infrastructure improvements, new employment and many other benefits. This will have transport planning implications and it is possible that routes other than the A47 will become popular with users of the facility.

4.3. The message that regional partners need to understand is that EastPort truly turns the region on its head. When it opens, no longer will people travel south to get to the continent, but instead use Norfolk as its route to market.

4.4. This in itself will attract investment, business creation and aid lobbying efforts for other infrastructure improvements for Norfolk.

4.5. Sectors including Distribution, Engineering, Construction and Agriculture may see a changing marketplace as products from the near continent are more readily available. However, the flipside is that exporting will be more in the forefront of business thinking resulting in a far more fluid economy for goods and services.

4.6. The oft-quoted benefits to Tourism are less easy to quantify. Indeed the volume of tourist traffic is a lesser element of the initiative at this stage. We will have to wait and see how we can ensure we gain our share as the project develops. It is fair to say, however that Business Tourism will form a large part of the project visitor numbers, pointing to growth in the larger hotels and conference venues. We already have links with the Great Yarmouth Marketing Initiative (GYMI) to aid this as it happens.

4.7. Job creation figures vary from differing sources and a definitive economic impact assessment is due in the next three months using EEDA funding. It initially states that a large majority of jobs will be in Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, however it further recognises the regional job creation potential of the development. Up to 1000 roles will depend on its completion.

4.8. It is possible to foresee a modest increase in jobs in the local area, particularly in distribution and marine services however the biggest change will be in the adaptation of other sectors in accepting and exploring international markets previously not considered. South Norfolk Council and partners can be at the vanguard in promoting and developing advice in this regard.

4.9. East of England International will play a key role in talking with our key employers. Similarly there will be opportunity for Norfolk and probably South Norfolk to be considered a viable UK HQ for European firms.

5.1. Eastport represents opportunities for the whole of the region and its impact will be felt in South Norfolk. Our support of its bid throughout the process will reap its own rewards through job creation and tourism spend. However we should remain cautious on assessing the extent of the latter.

5.2. It is important that Panel members recognise the progress made thus far and understand the potential for structural changes to the local economy as a result.

NOW WASN'T THAT A DAINTY TALE TO SET BEFORE THE RESIDENTS  -   JUST LIKE A NURSERY RHYME EXCEPT THERE WASN'T A HAPPY ENDING!   WHAT DID WE GET?     A CONTAINER TERMINAL, AGGREGATE HEAP, GRAIN STORE, CEMENT WORKS.   NOW IF ANYONE CAN MAKE 1000 JOBS OUT OF THAT LOT WHAT ABOUT THE 120,000 TOURISTS?   WHERE ARE THE EASY WEEKEND TRIPS TO THE CONTINENT FOR LOCALS?    JUST HOW MUCH SPIN WAS IN THE ORIGINAL PROPAGANDA FED TO THE POOR TAXPAYERS TO KEEP THEM ON SIDE.  INSTEAD WE ARE GOING TO GET:  ADDED COSTS ONTO OUR COUNCIL TAX, NOISE AND DUST POLLUTION, CHAOS ON OUR ROAD SYSTEM NOT FORGETTING THE NECESSITY OF A COSTLY NEW BRIDGE TO CARRY ALL THOSE LORRIES ACROSS THE RIVER.   THIS ISN'T SPIN BUT REALITY.   

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