DP World says the Local Development Order will allow it to develop the rest of the park’s space
Thurrock Council has approved a new 10-year Local Development Order (LDO) to enable continued expansion and job creation at DP World’s London Gateway Logistics Park.
The LDO supports the park’s customers by streamlining planning processes for new construction projects, which DP World said are all built to a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ classification as standard.
Under the LDO, new builds at the park are granted final approval within 28 days, enabling rapid progression from agreeing a lease to construction and establishment of new facilities, and making London Gateway attractive for fresh investment.
The park is the largest facility of its type in the UK and has now developed half of its 9mn sq ft site, with the 10-year extension expected to support the utilisation of the park’s remaining space.
This year, the park’s first two manufacturing tenants, Destiny Entertainments and Ranson, moved into new state-of-the-art facilities at the beginning of 2025.
Alan Holland, chief executive for DP World London Gateway Logistics Park, said: “Our new 10-year Local Development Order, combined with our fantastic access to transport connections and important markets, makes London Gateway Logistics Park well placed to continue our rapid growth.
“I am delighted to continue our strong partnership with Thurrock Council, ensuring we can support the creation of hundreds of new jobs by DP World and our customers, boost prosperity across the local area, and enable us to offer market-leading levels of sustainability and innovation.
“This planning milestone reinforces London Gateway as a world-class logistics and technology hub. We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with the local authority, which sees public and private sectors working together to unlock the full potential of this site to support customers, key UK markets and the local community in Thurrock.”
Cllr Lee Watson, cabinet member for Good Growth at Thurrock Council, said: “The new LDO will help ensure that development of the site can continue, in a way that benefits the local economy and local people. It will help pave the way for inward investment which should help create good local jobs and bring other economic benefits to the borough.”
The park also sits within the government-backed Thames Freeport, which was established in 2021, providing tenants of the site with wide-ranging financial benefits, including business rate, stamp duty and national insurance contributions relief.
A previous 10-year LDO was agreed in 2013 and resulted in the construction of 17 state-of-the-art facilities for 16 occupiers, totalling more than 4mn sq ft and creating 1,500 permanent jobs onsite.
