Lakeside Retail Park: M&S, Boots, and Asda to be bulldozed in £200m plan

Part of the Lakeside Retail Park will be demolished to create a warehouse and distribution centre, with shops relocated within the complex

Part of a shopping retail park will be bulldozed to make way for a £200m warehouse and distribution centre.

Several stores, including Marks & Spencer, Boots, Asda Home and Burger King, will be demolished at the Lakeside complex at Thurrock, Essex.

The redevelopment - which will create 700 jobs - will see shops relocated to empty units elsewhere at the site.

A spokeswoman for the landowner told Thurrock councillors retail had changed with the rise in online shopping.

Jayme McArthur, planning director for British Land, said: "When considering the land use it's important to note the evidenced oversupplied retail in the area which is causing vacancies and a need to consolidate existing retail into the core of the Lakeside basin, in turn creating wider vitality and vibrancy of the centre.

"We would not be proposing this investment in logistics if we believed the site would continue to thrive in its current form.

"The existing retail park is peripheral and in decline and will be ready for development in 2025.

"We are looking to invest £200m and with that comes benefit for Thurrock."

A new warehouse and distribution centre will see 700 jobs created but one councillor raised concerns about pressure on the M25

Ms McArthur also said the council would benefit from £3m in business rates a year and 700 jobs would be created once the site was operational - a 150% increase on the existing retail park employment.

Lee Watson, Labour councillor for West Thurrock and South Stifford, raised concerns about pressures on the nearby M25.

"The Mardyke development that hasn't come forward yet is a massive logistics park with, if it went through, loads of HGVs on Junction 31," she told the planning meeting.

"Aveley can't cope with that sort of traffic nor can Purfleet-on-Thames, nor can west Thurrock.

"Everything is going on junction 31 and that's not getting any bigger. Twice this week it's been gridlocked before this."