Our ship is coming in at last

The first customer cargo ship has berthed at the superport, bringing a huge batch of wine and fruit. This £1.5billion giant of a project is officially open for business.

I know there’s some scepticism around about the sheer scale of it – the impact the port will have on the area and on the environment. The strain it will create on the infrastructure and railways.

But these things have to be surmounted and in turn the whole borough will benefit.

This extravagant project must be embraced, for it will breathe new life into the borough. For me, one of the key things about this development is the promise from port bosses that the new jobs, of which there will be tens of thousands, will primarily go to local people.

It’s no secret Thurrock has a high rate of unemployment among its young people.

This development, and the gigantic neighbouring business park which comes with it, are the first steps in changing not only an area, but the future of people who have grown up in it.

Here at the Gazette we will be watching carefully, holding these people to account whenever they need to be, making sure they make good their pledge of local work for local people.

With the economy turning the corner, particularly here in Essex, by this time next year it’s more than likely this development will be buzzing – and, if promises are kept, creating new wealth and prosperity for the next generation of people in Thurrock.

Tweet me @garypearson13

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