Grangemouth Land and Infrastructure Baseline Review

This report aims to establish a detailed baseline review of key land and infrastructure assets in the Grangemouth cluster. This includes physical site data, geotechnical and environmental information, utility services, flood risk information, and spatial mapping to guide future planning and decision making. This analysis feeds into the development of an industrial cluster strategy for Grangemouth and supports a sustainable and just transition to net zero.

This is a desk-based study – based on a collation and integration of existing datasets, information, and assessments. The review provides an understanding of site planning and environmental status, utility information, transport infrastructures, and current capacities where these are known and established. 

The scope of the baseline assessment identifies and maps private utility networks as far as possible, but does not include detailed audit or review of specific network demands and capacities – and these may be commercially sensitive, rapidly changeable, and dependent on individual operator models.

The report highlights several key findings:

• Grangemouth is entering a significant period of transition and change driven by a range of recently announced closures but also new entrants, planned development, and expansions. Industry restructuring poses considerable challenges around Just Transition and retaining the cluster’s core industrial base – but also opportunities for new development to build on the cluster's fundamental geographic, infrastructure, and skills-base strengths.
• There are significant land and infrastructure assets across Grangemouth with the potential to be leveraged, enhanced, and developed as part of the transition to a low-carbon industrial cluster.
• There is a range of linked land and infrastructure constraints and risks with the potential to impact on new investment and operational resilience (for example, remediation, ground conditions, flood risk, and utility and transport bottlenecks).
• The review identifies that the Grangemouth cluster is broadly divisible into four clear zones and sub-clusters based on land use, operations, sectoral strengths, and infrastructure assets and capacities (refinery site, chemicals complex, Earls Road, and port of Grangemouth)
• Strong policy support and funding mechanisms (NPF4, Growth Deal, Green Freeport) are in place, but coordinated action and regulatory reform are essential to unlock Grangemouth’s potential as a low-carbon industrial hub.

To capitalise on the significant economic opportunity in Grangemouth, the report proposes several strategic recommendations:

• Improve infrastructure data: engage directly with landowners to update and validate data on private utility networks. Current information is limited or outdated, and a clearer understanding of capacity and operational status is essential for infrastructure planning.
• Clarify land availability: coordinate with key landowners to confirm the status and development potential of vacant land. A detailed land capacity assessment will support strategic site planning and investment decisions.
• Assess legacy infrastructure risks: conduct technical assessments to evaluate risks from redundant plant and legacy contamination. Many sites may require complex remediation, and understanding these requirements is critical for enabling safe redevelopment.
• Strengthen strategic planning: collaborate with GFIB partners and NESO on scenario modelling and strategic energy planning. This will help shape a long-term industrial cluster strategy aligned with Project Willow, identifying constraints, guiding investment, and accelerating Grangemouth’s transformation into a low-carbon hub.
• Coordinate on future pipeline projects: work closely with developers of hydrogen and CCUS pipelines (for example, Project Union, H2 Caledonia, and Project Acorn) to clarify delivery timelines and routing. These projects are key dependencies for future investment and must be integrated into the wider cluster strategy.