Our Vision

Thurrock has many natural advantages. A small, compact Borough in an excellent location in the fast-growing Thames Gateway area, a well-networked and entrepreneurial business culture and friendly communities with plenty of green space.

It is the natural heart of the Thames Gateway and will be the location of choice for business seeking to capitalise on the growth in this dynamic region, up to and beyond the 2012 Olympics.

 

Thurrock Thames Riverside

The Thames River is a main artery carrying people and goods in and out of London. Thurrock's links to London mean it enjoys a special position as an out-of-town centre for the capital.Thurrock is a great place for overseas visitors to stay and enjoy London, do business at the Excel centre or visit the O2.

Major businesses that have already made their home here benefit from the river, while in other places, well-designed residential areas with river access will provide homes for business people and families.

A business park for London

Thurrock is a lively, busy place, where existing businesses expand and new ones make their home. It attracts businesses that want to be close to London, but also want space to grow such as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that want a supportive, business framework and services. Thurrock offers the green space, the infrastructure and the atmosphere that helps business to flourish close to London.

Easy access to variety and heritage

Thurrock is an exciting mix of riverside industrial heritage, traditional communities and commercial zones. It is exploiting this mix, as improved infrastructure and re-zoning will make it easier for residents and businesses to get to and from the places they need.

A place to live

Growing business and open spaces make Thurrock a good place to live. Its traditional, safe communities and friendly culture make it ideal for families, while the development of modern, quality apartments along the riverside attracts commuters. Thurrock is developing new, fit-for-purpose amenities and services that give its residents the service they want, when and where they want it.

A place to visit

Thurrock has a wonderful riverside heritage: from Rainham Marshes Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) to Tilbury Fort and the Tilbury Cruise Terminal. Developing what it can offer to visitors, tourists and business. Thurrock is easy to reach making it an ideal visitor destination.

Learning and developing

Thurrock has a young community, with an appetite to learn. New schools, colleges and academies are vital to our vision for Thurrock, and there will be a series of lively new places to learn across the Borough. Importantly, they will be linked to our key industries; aiming to provide employers with employees who understand and can contribute to the future of fast-evolving sectors like logistics and retail. It will also give students the skills to work in growing fields like creative, media or environmental technology.

A creative place

Thurrock can lead the way in developing new and creative businesses. Traditionally known as a creative place, it has local colleges which specialise in media, design and other creative industries. There is a strong interest in the performing arts. New businesses are growing in the creative and cultural sector, led by the flagship Royal Opera House move to Purfleet, a traditional centre that is poised to become a hub of new creative activity, as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) cluster around the Royal Opera House site.

Making it Happen

Our role at the Development Corporation is to work with local partners, such as Thurrock Council, local businesses, community groups and agencies to make the most of Thurrock and ensure it is a place of choice to live and work.

Our particular tasks are:

  • attracting business to Thurrock and supporting existing businesses, making sure Thurrock is a place where companies can flourish and jobs are created and;
  • improving the landscape, creating places where people want to live and green spaces they can enjoy.

We are taking a number of actions to make Thurrock a good place to do business:

  • Buying and clearing up old disused sites and making these fit for new businesses.
  • Developing places where small businesses can start up on a low budget – like the Old Post Office in Grays, which we have bought and are fitting out as a business centre.
  • Creating or improving town centres that have convenient facilities including restaurants and shops within easy reach of business sites.
  • Improving business support networks. With local business and organisations such as the Thurrock Business Association and Thurrock Council, we are improving the networking opportunities for business; BusinessNet, a new online support service where businesses can exchange ideas and establish contacts is one important new initiative, backed by the government business advice service, Business Link.
  • Promoting Thurrock: raising the profile of Thurrock to attract inward investment is a critical element of our work. Encouraging developers and investors to partner with us, or invest in key projects like the Royal Opera House Production Park or the future development of Lakeside.
  • Dealing with challenges like infrastructure bottlenecks or planning obstacles so that Thurrock can grow and fulfil its ambitions.