Purfleet-on-Thames growth

An outline planning application for Purfleet-on-Thames centre was submitted by Purfleet Centre Regeneration Ltd (PCRL) in December 2017. This application gives an initial view of development proposals for the whole centre, ahead of more detailed applications for individual sites.

Read the full application and supporting documents.

New developments

Proposals involve the demolition of all existing buildings and structures on the site – including the Purfleet Station buildings – to make way for a new town centre with improved infrastructure. New developments would include:

• up to 2,850 homes, including a proportion of affordable housing
• up to 11,000 square metres of space for business use
• up to 8,880 square metres of shops
• up to 5,220 square metres of restaurants and cafés
• up to 900 square metres of drinking establishments
• up to 20,000 square metres of hotel accommodation
• up to 6,200 square metres of building space for leisure
• up to 1,600 square metres of new railway station buildings, plus waste and power facilities
• up to 18,300 square metres of space for a primary school, a secondary school, a medical centre and community use
• up to 135,000 square metres of film and television studios, including workshops, offices and post-production facilities

Infrastructure would include car parking, cycle spaces, open space, landscaping, public areas; highways and utilities. There would also be alterations to the river wall, improvements to London Road, and the construction of new road and pedestrian crossings over the railway.

Land would be raised to minimise flood risk and improve access, while also improving views across the river that would otherwise be blocked by river walls.

Education

The application includes a new primary school and a secondary school. Planning permission is already in place for a new secondary school, which should be open for the 2019 school year.

Roads and walkways

The main roads into the centre will continue to be London Road and Botany Way. A new road would be created along the riverside and through Botany Quarry, whilst new bridges over the railway would improve traffic flow and reduce queuing on London Road at the current crossing.

A proposed new promenade would make the riverside publicly accessible.

Green spaces and wildlife

Where possible, existing trees would be retained and incorporated into the landscaping of the area. Preservation and recreation of natural wildlife habitats would be focused on Hollow Wood, along the railway corridor and at the base of the cliff edges. Native trees would be planted along streets.

In total, the development would include 15,600 square metres of natural habitats (38.5 acres).

Environmental impact assessments form part of the outline planning application.