New group meets to discuss expansion plans for Port of Workington

A major expansion of the port and effective use of the land around it, much of which is owned by the council, could transform the economic geography of West Cumbria.

The group, chaired by Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister and Cllr Mark Fryer, Leader of Cumberland Council, includes Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster, Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, and a range of businesses who use the port or with a future interest in use of the port.

In recent weeks Josh has met with the Minister for Industry, Sarah Jones MP, who will be responsible for Labour’s promised £1.8 billion port investment programme, to discuss Workington’s ambitions.

The group met to discuss plans to develop the Port of Workington (Image: Submitted)

Cllr Fryer updated the group on plans to change the governance structure and management of the port to get it into a better position for development and confirmed that a bid for external experts to develop a masterplan would soon be launched.

Josh said: “There is so much potential in the port and the surrounding area to attract new industry and advanced manufacturing, generating high quality, long-term jobs for the people of Workington.

“That’s why Mark and I brought Ed MIliband here before the election to show him the port and the possibilities if its potential was unlocked. He confirmed that we were in a ‘prime position’ for investment.

“We’ve now finally got a government with a plan to develop a proper industrial strategy and invest in projects like this that will deliver growth and create jobs and we want to take full advantage of that by putting forward a strong and ambitious plan to get maximum benefit from this asset.”

Expansion of the Port of Workington was a key element of the industrial plan Josh published before the election outlining how he would work to deliver growth and jobs if elected as MP for Whitehaven and Workington.