TWO new businesses are set to occupy new warehouses at London Gateway Logistics Park.

Thurrock Council has approved a 9,591 sq metre building which will provide two semi-detached warehouses at the DP World’s logistic park at London Gateway port.

The park benefits from a local development order which gives automatic planning permission for structures but that is due to expire in November. A new local development order will not be completed until next year.

In the meantime Thurrock Council’s planning committee gave special permission to extend the order in September so the new warehouses to be built because of delays by the council. London Gateway Logistics Park Leasehold Limited has now lodged details of the new construction under the existing order.

The warehouse bordered by the Baltic Avenue estate road and sited near to a DHL building will include ancillary office accommodation, plot parking, loading, unloading and turning areas, and site access roads.

The port is said to have businesses lined up to occupy the new buildings. These include DHL, Currys, Lidls and maritime transport company Ceva Logistics.

Thurrock Council is set to keep business rates from companies in the park. It was initially thought this could amount to more than £300million but the Rt Hon Ruth Kelly, chairman of Thames Freeport, went on to claim the logistics park could bring a £900million bonanza for Thurrock.

While the park will bring jobs and boost the local economy, as well as benefiting the council, concerns have been raised about the rapidly expanding park’s impact on local roads.

Speaking at the meeting in September, Paul Arnold, Conservative councillor for Ockendon, said: “I am really fearful for the development rate of the ports. I am very familiar with the road network around that area and it is already becoming overloaded. If there is ever an issue with Manor Way We are going to have a massive problem down there instantly.

“We mustn’t take our eye off this ball because it is going to be coming pretty fast and pretty heavy. Every month it’s going to get a little bit worse.”

London Gateway was contacted for a comment.