The Thames Enterprise Park has been given a further investment boost of £8.5 million, allowing the site to operate a food hub. The developers will be adding processing, packaging, warehousing, and distribution facilities amongst other services which would help any food company launch a huge domination campaign.
Transformation of site
The land which is being used for the Thames Enterprise Park was once the Coryton Oil Refinery. It now looks set to become a superhub for business, which will create up to 4,500 jobs. Be sure to check out our latest jobs.
The latest investment will be used for the essential land preparation on an area of 44 hectares. This is a large percentage of the 168-hectare site. DSM Demolition are specialist remediation contractors and they will be taking care of the work. They will be focusing on the ‘West Site’, which was previously part of the Shell Haven Oil Refinery and Coryton Village. The whole infrastructure was closed and demolished in the 1990s, and now new life looks set to be breathed into the area with a projected opening for development in 2020.
Planning permission was given for the work by Thurrock Council back in April 2017. The council is continuing to work closely with DSM Demolition, the Thames Enterprise Park management, and the Environment Agency under a special permit which was issued by the EA itself.
More to be done
The preparation work should be finished by the end of this year, which will give plenty of time for Thurrock Council to decide on the planning application for the whole site’s redevelopment. It is currently with them and they have stated that their answer will also come before the end of 2019.
“This investment is an important step in the development of Thames Enterprise Park,” said Chris Brookhouse, the Chief Executive of Thames Enterprise Park. “Outline planning approval is expected to be received in the middle of 2019 for the entire site, and we expect to be on-track to welcome our first operators on-site in late 2020.”
The plans for the park are extensive. They include a food hub as described, which will include innovative warehouses designed to have high levels of automation. Any employers looking to find candidates for their top positions in the park will be able to take advantage of our services.
Another hub will be in the form of the energy sector, with a focal point created for small and medium-sized business who are looking to research and develop new technological advances. They will be geared towards both energy and food logistics in order to better benefit their neighbours.
Developers also expect to add a hub for amenities. This will be located in the centre of the park and will be a high-tech environment designed to connect businesses with the local community, as well as education and research opportunities. The facilities in this part of the park will include cafes, a creche, a gym, and even a mobility concierge service.
It looks set to be a big draw for businesses on the local and international scale, with opportunities to do everything from a small company right the way up to something huge. Anyone who chooses to set up there will certainly be in an enviable position, in what looks set to be one of the most modern and tech-facing facilities of its kind when it opens. We will look forward to more announcements from the park towards the end of the year.
