Communities and Local Government
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Thurrock
Select one of the numbers below to link to the relevant case study.
Located on the eastern edge of London, Thurrock is a key commercial centre for South Essex. It has over 18 miles of riverside stretching along the estuary and provides many attractive sites for commercial , manufacturing and logistics activities. The draft East of England Plan identifies capacity for 26,000 new jobs and 18,500 new homes in the borough of Thurrock by 2021 making Thurrock one of the most important parts of the entire Thames Gateway.
The Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation (TTGDC) is the organisation charged to deliver this growth and regenerate the existing communities by:
- bringing land and buildings into effective use though acquiring, holding, managing, reclaiming and disposing of land and other property;
- encouraging the development of existing and new industry and commercial opportunities where the higher skilled jobs are offered;
- creating an attractive environment by increasing access to green spaces, establishing robust design principals and improving the quality of the public realm;
- ensuring that appropriate housing and social facilities encourage people to live and work in the area and foster more cohesive communities.
Five principal growth 'hubs' will act as a catalyst for the rejuvenation of the borough as a whole:
- At Shellhaven, a new deep water port is proposed which, if consented, will be of national importance to the future of the UK port and logistics industry. The Dubai Ports World proposal could eventually create up to 16,500 jobs. This as one of the four key economic drivers in the Gateway.
- Tilbury is a thriving port facility and a major employer in the borough with potential for further expansion.
- Grays is the dominant town centre in Thurrock and has significant potential to become the administrative and learning hub for the borough.
- Lakeside Basin/West Thurrock is an established regional retail and leisure destination which, with further expansion, will provide 5,000 new jobs by 2016.
- Purfleet has a number of key employment and residential sites that together present an opportunity to create an exemplar mixed community, with good public access to the riverside.
Social infrastructure is key for sustainable growth:
- The Corporation is working in partnership with the PCT and other partners to modernise and expand health and social care services in Thurrock.
- The South West Essex Primary Care Trust (PCT) is also exploring the possibility of locating a new community hospital in Grays town centre.
- The proposed university college campus in Grays will provide a broad range of further and higher education opportunities but will specialise in training that will support the growth and diversification of Thurrock's economy. The university college campus will specialise in logistics and distribution; retail and leisure; education; performing arts; and health and social care.
- There is an abundance of high amenity green space and bio-diversity areas in Thurrock. In October, the RSPB completed the construction of a new visitor centre at Rainham Marshes.
- Proposals are being prepared to upgrade Mardyke Valley as a country park and to build on the heritage of Tilbury and Coalhouse forts, linking the two historic buildings with the new network of bridle and cycleways.
