£9bn freeport project has created 862 jobs

ROLES AT AIRPORT FIRST OF AN ANTICIPATED 28,000 AT THREE SITES - BUT 'STILL A LOT TO DO'

- By JOSHUA HARTLEY

HUNDREDS of jobs have been created at East Midlands Airport as part of a £9 billion project, which hopes to create 28,000 new roles over the next six years.

The East Midlands Freeport, which launched two years ago, offers tax incentives to attract businesses to three sites - part of the Castle Donington airport, Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station, and a rail-connected business park next to the Toyota plant in Derbyshire.

Following the release of its guiding business plan, the freeport outlined that 862 jobs had been created at distribution and transport companies Maersk, CEVA and Maritime Transport.

These firms all have sites at the vast East Midlands Gateway park next to the airport, parts of which are within the freeport's tax zone.