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Your Thurrock

Thurrock has always had local industry, which has given it a grass roots character lacking in other commuter belt areas. Its position on the river Thames has traditionally brought people and goods into the area and the construction of the Tilbury Docks in the late 19th century confirmed it as an important trading centre.

It subsequently became one of the country’s leading refining centres.  While one of its two major refineries has gone, making way for London Gateway, the new deep-sea container port constructed by DP World, the Petroplus refinery at Coryton still provides fuel for one in ten of the UK’s cars, while pipelines carry aviation fuel to the south’s major airports.

With the M25 close by, Thurrock is a centre for the transport of goods to and from London and Europe. It has been earmarked as the site for a new London Thames crossing, meaning it will continue to be a major hub for the logistics industry. The planned construction of London Gateway will confirm Thurrock as a key logistics hub.

Today, added value industries are springing up on Thurrock’s old industrial sites. New businesses, particularly in the creative and environmental sectors, are establishing themselves in the area.

Environmental businesses find a natural home in Thurrock. Once a commodity activity, waste management today is a value-added business, creating many opportunities for Thurrock which embraces new technologies and aims to be a centre of expertise.

The services sector has grown fast in recent years and today employs the majority of Thurrock workers. The opening of Lakeside in 1990 led to the creation of many new retail jobs.

Today we can see new emerging employment opportunities in Thurrock. Among others:

• The Royal Opera House Production Park in Purfleet, due to open in 2010 will become a centre for creative and cultural industries and is expected to provide 250 jobs and 2,250 training places.
• The London Gateway Port and Logistics Park is the UK’s largest capital investment and will result in 14,000 jobs.
• Plans for Grays town centre will bring new jobs in leisure, health and services.

Today, Thurrock is changing. At the heart of the Thames Gateway, it is poised to become one of the UK’s most vibrant and fast-growing regions.