Marine sector 'crucial key to unlock our financial growth'

CITY LEADERS ARE ON A MISISON TO ATTRACT NEW INVESTMENT

- ALISON STEPHENSON

PLYMOUTH’S civic leaders are on a mission to get every department in government to sit up, take notice and invest in its plan for growth.

Declaring Plymouth the UK centre for marine autonomy would be a good place to start, according to Labour leader of Plymouth City Council Tudor Evans.

“What are they waiting for,” he told the council’s natural infrastructure and growth scrutiny panel. “We already have more assets than anyone else in this sector.”

The city is planning for a boost in jobs in the marine and defence industries given the tax breaks allowed as a freeport, building on existing assets such as the Plymouth Marine Business Technology Centre at the science park and Smart Sound, an organisation based in the Sound with partners including Exeter and Plymouth universities, the council and the Marine Biologicial Association.

The Plymouth and South Devon Freeport is a partnership between Plymouth City Council, Devon County Council, South Hams District Council and private companies that could create more than 3,000 jobs.