The government’s Thames Estuary Envoy will today announce the region is open for business, with the publication of two-dozen projects worth more than £18 billion on a new platform designed to drive private investment to the southeast.

Kate Willard OBE, the government appointed Estuary Envoy, will tell delegates at the UKREiiF event in Leeds that the Thames Estuary Region is primed to drive national growth. The Envoy will be launching the Thames Estuary Growth Board’s new ‘Investuary’ platform at an event attended by investment minister Lord Johnson.

The Envoy is committed to delivering £3 billion in new investment to the region over the next three years.

Investment projects listed on the platform will include the creation of ‘hydrogen living labs’ to drive energy and transport innovation and support decarbonisation, and the commercial operation of the Port of Ramsgate. Other projects will include the redevelopment of the Thames Barrier and a number of opportunities that will increase river freight logistics and reduce traffic on major roads.

The Growth Board expects the creation of an Estuary hydrogen ecosystem alone to deliver 9,000 new jobs, support £22 billion in investment, save 5.9 million tonnes of carbon and generate £3.8 billion in GVA by 2035.

Kate Willard OBE, Thames Estuary Envoy, said:

“The Thames Estuary is home to four million people and 1,000 square miles of potential. Our new Investuary platform will drive investment to the region and deliver the good green growth the southeast and the UK needs.

“Investuary is the key to unlocking the potential of the Thames Estuary. Doing so will create thousands of new jobs, support skills development and bring prosperity to the region, which includes some of the most deprived communities in the country.”

Lord Deben, Chairman of the Committee on Climate Change, said:

“I’m delighted to see the Thames Estuary Growth Board’s ambition for Investuary to promote clean and environmentally-friendly growth. The projects already listed on this platform can help cut carbon emissions and deliver the innovations we need to help tackle climate change. I congratulate Kate and her team for their ongoing commitment to delivering ‘good clean growth.’