The Port of Tilbury, London’s major port, welcomed the Minister of State for Housing, Gavin Barwell MP, to the port on 16 February to see the impacts of the significant investment programme, including two major extensions to the port estate to accommodate projected business growth.  

The port has doubled in volume size in the past ten years and plays a major role as an economic driver for the local area and for London as a whole. The Minister was updated on Tilbury’s position as the UK’s number one port for construction materials which handled over 40million bricks last year destined for the housing market. The port is also the leader in handling aggregates, construction materials and timber volumes in support of the English house building and wider construction programmes.

The Minister was briefed on the port’s £1bn investment programme that includes the creation of a new 152-acre deep-water port facility, Tilbury 2, adjacent to the current port and he was updated on the progress of the construction of the UK’s largest warehouse at Tilbury for Amazon UK.  These two major projects, coupled with opening of Europe’s largest chill store at the port in partnership with NFT and the completion this year of Tilbury Green Power, the 40MW energy-from-waste power facility, will contribute to the rapid growth of this major port. 

Commenting on the visit Charles Hammond, Group Chief Executive, Forth Ports said: "Tilbury is at the heart of the South East’s growth and it was a pleasure to brief the minister responsible on the future of London’s major port. He heard for himself about our ambitious growth plans and the importance we play in the construction market as the number one port for handling building materials. This is an exciting time for Tilbury as we drive our expansion plans forward, which will generate further local jobs and substantial economic benefit." 

Housing and Planning Minister Gavin Barwell, MP said: "It's been fantastic to visit the Port of Tilbury to discuss their ambitious plans for growth in the Thames Gateway area.  Their planned extension will help make sure the port continues to be the UK's number one supplier of building materials.  As we set out in our Housing White Paper, investment in infrastructure is crucial to ensuring that many more homes are build quickly, in the places that people want to live."