Plans for major port expansion are approved

6 minutes ago

Lewis AdamsEssex

News image — Tilbury3 will be built on land that once housed a power station on the banks of the River Thames

Forth Ports An aerial shot of the Port of Tilbury, which has lots of containers stored on the banks of the River Thames. The shot shows a large green field next to a muddy brownfield site, both of which will be used to build Tilbury3. — Tilbury3 will be built on land that once housed a power station on the banks of the River Thames

Plans to expand the Port of Tilbury by 143 acres (58ha) have been approved by a council.

The new Tilbury3 (T3) site will be used for container operations, vehicle storage and warehousing on the north bank of the Thames estuary in Essex.

Owner Forth Ports is expected to begin work later in 2026, with an aim to become operational on the site of a former power station by 2030.

"The development will support existing jobs, create new employment and deliver long‑term economic value," chief executive Stuart Wallace added.

Thurrock Council approved the plan at a meeting on Tuesday evening.

Blueprints submitted to the Labour-led authority suggested about 6,600 local jobs would be created once T3 was operational.

They said expanding the port, which included building a new rail terminal, would be worth £398m to Thurrock's economy.

Forth Ports A graphic showing the Port of Tilbury from above. It has the large existing port to the west, with Tilbury itself above it. To the east is Tilbury2 and the proposed Tilbury3 sites. Both sit on the north bank of the River Thames. — Vehicle access between Tilbury2 and Tilbury3 will be shared, as will a rail connection

T3 is expected to benefit from tax breaks due to its designation as part of the Thames Freeport, where normal tax and tariff rules do not apply.

Port director David Webster said: "The additional capacity, flexible land use and freeport advantages will allow us to respond to growing market demand."

Planners behind the expansion have said it would benefit from direct road connections improved by the forthcoming Lower Thames Crossing, liking Tilbury with Gravesend in Kent, under the river.

The new site will also be used for handling and storing construction materials and aggregates.

It is being built across both green and grey belt land east of the existing Port of Tilbury and Tilbury2, which opened in May 2020 and facilitates the trade of food, drink, medicines and cars to and from mainland Europe.

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