Plans for a major expansion of the Port of Workington are progressing at pace, say the leaders of the Port Taskforce which is driving the proposals forward.
The taskforce is chaired by Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister and Cumberland Council leader Mark Fryer and has been meeting since last summer. It was formed to develop an ambitious masterplan to ensure that Workington was well positioned to benefit from major investment in Britain’s ports by the Labour Government.
Production of the masterplan is underway by Cumberland Council and a prospectus will be launched shortly to attract the investors we want to bring here as part of development of the port and surrounding council-owned land. The Government’s National Wealth Fund are also engaged with the taskforce and will be visiting the port later this month.
The ambition of the taskforce is to secure tens of millions of pounds of investment from the National Wealth Fund to transform the port into a bustling clean energy hub with energy production, manufacturing and logistics, creating hundreds of jobs.
Josh said:
“The Port of Workington is a fantastic asset for the town and has so much potential. Cllr Mark Fryer and I have huge ambition for the port and the land around it and we’re already in discussions with a number of potential new businesses that are considering locating here.
“I am hopeful that we will attract the government and private investment we need to transform the port into a new economic zone that will create jobs and prosperity for West Cumbria.”
Josh MacAlister MP 