SOMERSET has a key role to play in the bid to develop a new Great Western Freeport – a project it is claimed could create thousands of jobs and boost the region’s reputation as a leader in high-value design and innovation. A freeport is a space for businesses to import goods and materials, add value to them through manufacturing, and export them. Freeports are designed to create conditions for inward investment, business growth and job creation. They are designated areas where normal tax and tariff rules of the country do not apply, meaning goods can be imported, manufactured and re-exported without being subject to customs checks, paperwork or import taxes.