A working population decline of up to 10% in the Highlands could be reversed if the consortium bidding to secure green freeport status for Inverness and Cromarty Firth wins government approval.
That was the claim today by a group of north cross-party MSPs and MPs.
A decision on which two of Scotland’s current five green freeport bids will be given the nod is expected this summer, although current political turmoil at Westminster may see this pushed back until the next leader of the Conservative Party is elected.
Bid has backing across political divide
The Opportunity Cromarty Firth (OCF) consortium comprises organisations such as Global Energy Group, Port of Inverness, Highland Council, Inverness Airport and others, with the bid having secured rare cross-party political support.
Backing from Holyrood and Westminster has come in the form of three north MPs and five MSPs signing a letter telling ministers winning green freeport status would be a “once-in-a-lifetime transformational change” for the region.
Port of Cromarty Firth (PoCF) is also part of the grouping and its business development manager, Joanne Allday, hailed Westminster and Holyrood’s backing at Inverness Town House today.
She highlighted a £20-£30 billion regional investment and the creation of 25,000 jobs, should the north bid triumph.
But OCF is up against tough opposition in the shape of four separate bids from the north-east, central belt and Orkney.
“We have really demonstrated through the consortium, industry and through politicians locally coming together how important this bid is to our region,” Ms Allday said.
‘We know we have one of the strongest bids’
“We have an opportunity to reverse the decline in the working population, which is estimated to be 10% over the next 20 years, and to attract offshore wind manufacturing at scale.
“This is something that cannot be done in other ports that are competing. We know we have one of the strongest bids – we have got to do everything we can now over the next few weeks to deliver this across the line.”
SNP, Liberal Democrat, Conservative and Labour representatives highlighted the strengths of the OCF bid, echoing support voiced by major international offshore energy developers and others.
The letter to Levelling Up Secretary Greg Clark was signed by MPs Ian Blackford, Drew Hendry and Jamie Stone, along with MSPs Edward Mountain, Jamie Halcro Johnston, Donald Cameron, Rhoda Grant and Maree Todd.
Highland Council leader Raymond Bremner underlined the role an OCF winning bid would have in encouraging people to stay in the region.
He said: “It is about listening to communities – they are the ones talking to us about population decline. We have decommissioning and jobs going elsewhere; this bid ticks all the boxes in terms of recovery.
“Some of us have been eating, sleeping and living this for some time. We need to look at inward and outward investment – opportunities that create real, sustainable jobs, not just one-off solutions.”
Bid aims to halt population decline
The politicians’ joint letter points out some of the challenges in the Highlands, such as lower-than-average incomes and productivity, while highlighting “multi-generational population decline” – a point underlined by Ms Grant in her backing of the bid.
“It is about making sure we halt population decline; that we give our young people the opportunity to stay at home,” the MSP said, adding: “Too often we lose our young people to other areas because we don’t have well-paid, sustainable jobs. That is what young people need – they need the choice to stay.”
The politicians’ letter noted the region is “uniquely placed” to benefit the whole of the UK through energy security, trade and investment, lower cost electricity and progress towards net-zero.
It also highlighted the region’s land space, the fact it has some of the deepest waters and quaysides in the UK, sheltered anchorage locations and a cluster of companies working together to compete with offshore energy port hubs across Europe.
The MSPs and MPs added Inverness and the Cromarty Firth offers “the only location in Scotland with the port infrastructure and experienced supply chain in place to deliver UK energy security through offshore wind, floating wind, pumped hydro storage, green hydrogen and critical manufacturing for the nuclear sector.”
‘Golden opportunity’
Mr Stone, Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, said: “I am absolutely passionate about the issue because it means jobs for highlanders. The Highlands should always be on the nation’s conscience – it is the poor cousin of the country.
“The appeal today – and I think it may fall on hearing ears – is this is a golden opportunity. Both governments can back this bid and feel good about it.”
Conversation