At the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES), we have spent the past few months – with support from the Alex Ferry Foundation – speaking to people on the ground and in policy roles to understand how freeports and investment zones (which we are calling special economic zones, or SEZs) can deliver real benefits for local communities.

The big questions? How do we make sure SEZs support inclusive growth, rather than – as some fear – simply handing out tax breaks to big corporations? What are the barriers to doing so?