Thames Gateway South Essex


Thames Gateway South Essex is a vibrant part of the UK benefitting from immediate proximity to London and access to the UK’s largest consumer market. With a mature and growing business environment, it contains one of the largest port clusters in the UK.

Thames Gateway South Essex stretches east from Purfleet, 10 miles east of London Docklands, and follows the banks of the River Thames and its hinterland to Southend-on-sea on the east coast. It is home to over half a million people, 40,000 businesses and a workforce of over 200,000.


An ambitious growth agenda for the area reflects the potential of this dynamic sub-region and supports economic infrastructure essential to business competitiveness.

  • South Essex is a great place for business location and development…
  • It is on the doorstep of London and Cambridge
  • It is a magnet for Research & Development, with Ford’s European R&D facility at Dunton, Olympus Keymed in Southend, the forthcoming MedTech Campus at the Airport Business Park
  • ‘Tiger Fund’ offering interest free business investment loans, Low Carbon Business programme and MedTech Low Carbon Innovation Programme both offering business grants and funded specialist support and consultancy
  • Cost competitive business accommodation to 60% cheaper than Central London and all within 40 miles of the capital
  • South Essex is home to one of the UK’s largest port clusters and the closest ports to London; Port of Tilbury – the UK’s largest grain terminal, London Gateway Port – the UK’s first 21st Century major deep sea container port and Europe’s largest logistics park
  • Great road and rail infrastructure linking South Essex to London via major arterial road and rail networks leading straight into the heart of London and major junctions on London’s arterial orbital motorway
  • Home to London Southend Airport which provides fast, convenient links to domestic and international airports, including the hub airport of Schipol. Also home to a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) cluster supporting the aviation industry
  • At the heart of a thriving knowledge economy, with a highly-skilled workforce, world-class universities, colleges and specialist schools
  • Home to market-leading international companies like Ford, Selex Galilieo, New Holland Agriculture, The Royal Opera House, First Data, Ipeco, Olympus Keymed, ATC Lasham, Metal amongst them
  • Offers a great quality of life; part of England’s longest coastline, huge areas of unspoilt countryside, and superb leisure facilities including the swimming and diving centre used by Team GB during the London 2012 Olympics
  • It is an area of huge future growth; road infrastructure, skills higher education academies, town centre development, business park development, port development, housing and job growth
  • Lakeside shopping centre, one of the largest shopping areas in a single location within Europe. Basildon and Southend thriving shopping centres with a cultural offering to match.
  • The business solutions offered by South Essex focus on three zones:

Thurrock growth area


Thurrock growth area is the area of South Essex closest to London. It hosts infrastructure of national and international importance; London Gateway port, Port of Tilbury, major connections on the London orbital motorway, Dartford Thames crossing, Lakeside Shopping centre, Europe’s largest logistics park.

Basildon Enterprise Corridor


Basildon Enterprise Corridor is the commercial centre of South Essex and the largest employment centre east of London. It has a broad, thriving industrial, advanced manufacturing, and engineering base and business community and is home to significant businesses.

Southend & Rochford growth area


Southend & Rochford growth area is home to the UK’s newest international airport developed by the Stobart group. It offers excellent connectivity to London and Europe as well as one of the largest greenfield business park developments in South Essex. It is also home to one element of Essex’s MedTech campus offer, which will offer, when complete, innovative, near market healthcare solutions and improved access to the NHS and global markets.