The Port of Tilbury submitted an outline planning application which sought consent for 28 hectares of new distribution space and a new parking hub for over 500 heavy goods vehicles on land adjoining the port.
To enable the expansion of the port onto green belt land, the Council has been working with consultants Vincent and Gorbing, who are acting on behalf of the Port of Tilbury, to remove the green belt designation from the proposed expansion site.
"Although [the site is] presently in the green belt we have been working with the council through its core strategy to remove the site from that designation. We expect this to be confirmed shortly," said Martin Friend, Planning Director at Vincent and Gorbing.
The decision by Pickles to not call in the application for his own determination is representative of the support the planning application for the expansion of the Port had received.
Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation, Thurrock Council and the local community have all been very supportive of the application, Vincent and Gorbing said.
Development of the Port of Tilbury is expected to start during 2012.
