A NEW £32million business park being built just off the A127 is set to create more than 900 new jobs for south Essex.

Equation Properties is behind the Arterial Park just yards away from the Fairglen Junction of the major south Essex road on the border of Wickford and Rayleigh.

Bosses at the firm say the first phase of the huge park is set to be completed by the end of this year with the second phase expected to be completed by the middle of next year.

Designs from the brochure show the vast business park with various industrial and logical businesses on the site.

While business park bosses are keeping tight-lipped about which firms have already signed up, they say the kind of firms set to open at the first phase of the park include trade counter operators, third party logistics, manufacturers and automotive.

Echo: Designs - artists impressions showing how the park could look Designs - artists impressions showing how the park could look

Andrew Baggott, who is set to become new Tory leader of Basildon Council, welcomed the development and news.

He said: “It’s fantastic news and yet another opportunity to bump start the economy after the Covid pandemic.

“It is an exciting opportunity for us and is self evidence that developers and businesses think south Essex is the place to be for business.

“Anything that creates new jobs and business in the borough adds to the economy. When people come to the area for this they will visit shops and spend money here, so there’s an overspill of this too.

“I think it’s something we should be applauding and be looking to build on.”

READ MORE >>>

 

The new site is about 13 miles from the new £150million business park being built close to Southend Airport, which is set to create thousands of new jobs and will include cafes, restaurants, meeting and leisure facilities and even a hotel.

Carole Mulroney, Southend Lib Dem councillor for environment, culture, tourism and planning insisted it is in a ideal location with good road links to aid businesses.

She said: “Anything that shows the confidence this can take place has to be a good thing. It will also create much more choice in terms of jobs for people in the area.

“It also has good road connections and is very close to Southend and Basildon too, so it will attract people jobwise from a wider area.

“We are very keen to get as many jobs going as possible especially after the coronavirus pandemic.

“With what we’ve got going on with all the different developments in Southend, and I know there’s some planned for Basildon too, it shows a really good level of confidence in south Essex despite the effect of the pandemic.”