Port of Tilbury wins approval for Tilbury3 expansion
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The Port of Tilbury has secured outline planning consent for the development of Tilbury3, unlocking the next phase of expansion at one of the UK’s most strategically located ports.
Thurrock Council has approved plans for the 143 acre site, which will be used for a mix of general industrial storage, container operations, warehousing, processing, vehicle storage and the handling of construction materials and aggregates. The scheme also incorporates land dedicated to ecological mitigation.
The approval marks a significant milestone for Forth Ports, owner of the Port of Tilbury, as it advances a long term investment strategy aimed at strengthening the port’s position as a high capacity, multi modal logistics hub serving London and the South East.
Rail connectivity and Freeport advantages
Tilbury3 is designed as a flexible, rail connected development with direct access to the strategic road network. Its location adjacent to the future northern tunnel junction of the Lower Thames Crossing is expected to further enhance connectivity once the scheme is delivered.
The port already benefits from established road and rail links, alongside deep water river access. The addition of Tilbury3 is intended to expand operational capacity while improving integration across road, rail and sea freight movements.
As part of the Thames Freeport, the site will also benefit from designated tax incentives intended to attract investment and stimulate trade growth. These measures are designed to complement Tilbury’s existing strengths in bulk materials, Ro Ro, automotive and containerised cargo, while creating headroom for future customer expansion.
For construction and logistics operators, the availability of flexible land use within a Freeport framework offers opportunities for warehousing, processing and distribution activity within close proximity to London markets.
Supporting economic growth
Stuart Wallace, chief executive of Forth Ports, described the approval as an important milestone in the port’s long term development strategy.
He said the scheme recognises Tilbury’s strategic location serving London and the South East and positions the port to become one of the best connected in the UK by road, rail and sea. The expansion is intended to increase capacity, support existing jobs and create new employment opportunities, while delivering sustained economic value across the region.
David Webster, regional director at the Port of Tilbury, said the additional land and flexible planning consent will allow the port to respond to growing market demand and provide scalable, multi modal solutions for customers.
The scale of the site offers capacity to accommodate a broad range of industrial occupiers, reinforcing Tilbury’s role in national supply chains and in supporting major infrastructure and construction activity across the South East.
Environmental commitments
The Tilbury3 plans build on environmental measures delivered through earlier projects such as Tilbury2 and the London Distribution Park. The approved scheme includes habitat creation and biodiversity enhancement alongside operational land use.
The port has stated that responsible growth remains central to its strategy, with ecological mitigation integrated into the masterplan from the outset.
For a sector facing increasing scrutiny over land use and carbon intensity, embedding environmental stewardship within large scale logistics and port infrastructure developments is becoming a baseline requirement rather than an optional add on.
With planning approval secured, Tilbury3 now moves from concept to delivery phase, forming a core component of the port’s next stage of expansion and reinforcing its role within the evolving trade and infrastructure landscape of the UK.
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