New Council Leader welcomes game-changing opportunity for Highland

26th May 2022

The new Leader of Highland Council, Raymond Bremner has indicated that the economy will be a key focus for the Council as he welcomed the announcement that thousands of jobs would be created by an Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport.

He responded to the initial research published today by Opportunity Cromarty Firth and Biggar Economics which said winning the Freeport bid would stimulate manufacturing, creating thousands of jobs, and revolutionise the Highland economy.

The report also predicts this would positively impact elsewhere in Scotland and the UK in the manufacturing pipeline.

Councillor Bremner said: "This is evidence that a successful bid for a Green Freeport located in Highland would be a complete game-changer for the area, and for Scotland in delivering energy security for the UK.

“Cromarty Firth is the only location in Scotland able to deliver on the ambitions for offshore wind of the magnitude required in the UK Energy Security Strategy."

He went on to say: “We are more than ready in Highland to capitalise on such an opportunity. Not only do we have the right geographical and physical conditions, we are developing and improving our infrastructure and we have the ambition to lead the way in reducing carbon emissions. We now also have the support and backing of global leaders in the industry.

“Achieving the £314m Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal in 2017, underpinned by Scottish and UK Government and Highland Council funding, was fundamental in helping to lay the foundations for growth in this area. The promise of this Deal was to set the scene for levering in additional hundreds of millions in private investment. A successful Cromarty Firth bid would certainly deliver on this promise.”

The Highland Council is a consortium partner in the Opportunity Cromarty Firth Bid. More information can be found at: https://opportunitycromartyfirth.co.uk/