ROYAL Mail has confirmed it is no longer looking to build a delivery warehouse on Thurrock Marshes.

The company had won planning approval for the construction of the warehouse and lorry park, covering an area the size of 15 football pitches. But a spokesman revealed it was now looking for other sites.

A statement from Royal Mail said: "Royal Mail does not have any plans to move on to the Oliver Road site at Thurrock Marshes.

"We have been looking at alternative sites for several months."

However, campaign group Buglife said it planned to continue its appeal against the decision to allow a business development on the site.

The group lost a judicial review in February after Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation granted planning permission to Rosemound Developments, known by its parent company's global brand Goodman.

Director of Buglife Matt Shardlow said a new appeal would still go ahead as developers still had planning permission for the site.

He said: "We will be very pleased if Royal Mail has lost interest in this site and we hope any other responsible organisation would do the same.

"But the application still stands for the development as a whole, so they could still push this through.

"They may not have a plan in their hands at the moment, but that doesn't mean they won't make one."