Policy information sourced from Thurrock Core Strategy and Policies for Management of Development
CSTP28 – RIVER THAMES
The Council and Partners will ensure that the economic and commercial function of the river will continue to be promoted through:
- Priority being given to allocating riverside development sites to uses that require access to the river frontage, especially those which promote use of the river for passenger transportation purposes.
- Safeguarding port-related operational land.
- Safeguarding additional adjacent land required for further port development, including expansion. For port development onto additional land to be acceptable however, it will be necessary to substantiate the need for it over and above land that is already available for operational port uses.
- To safeguard existing and promote new jetties and wharves facilities where appropriate for transport of goods and materials.
New development will provide new or enhanced sustainable, safe and equitable access to and along the river foreshore, especially using natural and semi-natural corridors and other elements of the Greengrid.
Development Proposals will be required to undertake appropriate level of flood risk assessment as set out by the NPPF and take account of the need for flood mitigation measures and to accommodate any necessary flood defence measures.
New development will also maintain or enhance views, particularly of key features including heritage and landscapes, and will improve recreational interaction with the river and its setting. Critical elements include:
- The Thames Path through Thurrock, a designated National Trail.
- National Cycle Network Route 13, which overlaps with the Thames Path through much of Thurrock.
- Safeguarding of strategic and locally important views.
The following exceptions to this may apply:
- Where industrial/commercial development requires use of the river and its foreshore and needs to restrict public access for operational or safety reasons.
- Where unrestricted public access is likely to result in unacceptable adverse impacts on riverside habitat or biodiversity.
In both cases, reasons for access restrictions will need to be substantiated and justified with supporting evidence. In addition, the expectation will be that opportunities will still be sought to enable views of the river and its setting, such as through the design of development.
The proposed power generation plant at Tilbury will require controlled and secure access to the waterside including using the river as its water supply source.
Key Diagrams and Maps
Key Diagram – Where applicable.
Sites will be identified in the forthcoming Thurrock Local Plan and on the Proposals Map
For more information please see the Core Strategy and Policies for Management of Development