Dunsbury Park has received £1.2 million of Solent Freeport Seed Capital investment

Solent Freeport’s Seed Capital Programme is trailblazing a series of major infrastructure projects across the region, with £25 million government funding directed towards transport, port operations, industrial development, energy provision and logistics facilities to support long-term economic growth.

The total economic impact unlocked by Solent Freeport aims to raise billions of pounds of investment and lead to significant job creation. The programme is designed to accelerate delivery of key strategic sites, improve connectivity and create the conditions for sustained business investment across the Solent.

One of the clearest examples of this success can be seen at Dunsbury Park in Havant, where £1.2 million of Solent Freeport Seed Capital funding has helped deliver essential enabling works for Units 500–502, including a footway and cycleway. The investment has unlocked new commercial space and brought fresh employment opportunities to the area.

Businesses including Inchcape, Percussion Play and Righton Blackburn are already on site, with around 7,000 square metres of commercial space and is expected to support around 200 jobs. It has also included improved active travel provision, with enhanced walking and cycling links connecting the site to surrounding residential areas.

The Dunsbury Park scheme highlights how targeted infrastructure investment can bring forward development, support occupiers and generate wider community benefits.

Elsewhere across the Solent, Seed Capital funding has supported a range of schemes at different stages of delivery.

• A326 Waterside Improvements – £882,333 of Seed Capital funding supporting development work to progress plans for improved road capacity, connectivity and facilities for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Navigator Quarter – £620,000 supporting technical design, planning and development work in Eastleigh to unlock a major employment site with the potential to deliver around 960,000 square feet of commercial space and thousands of jobs.
• Portsmouth International Port – £400,000 Seed Capital funding supporting infrastructure improvements, including the Customs Zone and associated enabling works to support trade flows and operational capacity.
• Redbridge – £4.515 million supporting Redbridge Phase 1 infrastructure, including increased HGV capacity and freight facilities, with a further £1.0998 million supporting new electrical switchgear infrastructure at Redbridge.
• Marchwood/Solent Gateway – £4.176 million for Phase 1 infrastructure works supporting future port and logistics capacity.

Brian Johnson, Chair of Solent Freeport, said:

“These projects demonstrate how Solent Freeport is turning investment into action. Our Seed Capital Programme is helping unlock development, strengthen critical infrastructure and create the conditions for businesses to invest, grow and create jobs across the region.

“Dunsbury Park is a particularly strong example of the impact these investments can have. We are already seeing businesses expand, jobs safeguarded and new opportunities created.

“Importantly, these projects are not only supporting economic growth today, but they are also laying the foundations for the long-term success of the Solent region as the UK’s global gateway.”

The Seed Capital Programme forms part of Solent Freeport’s wider strategy to drive investment, regeneration and sustainable growth, while strengthening the Solent’s role as a nationally significant hub for trade and industry.

Find out more about Solent Freeport at https://solentfreeport.com/