New distribution centre could be set for Aveley

A NEW distribution centre could open in South Ockendon bringing more than 1,000 new jobs to the borough.Plans for the Segro Logistics Park on Purfleet Road in Aveley have been recommended for approval by planning officers and could be granted full planning permission at a meeting next week.The development will be 28,296 square metres – equal to 100 tennis courts – and include a warehouse and offices, as well as 35 HGV and commercial vehicle “docking points”, 209 commercial vehicle parking spaces and 308 car parking spaces. It would create 1,500 jobs, with staff working across five shifts over 24 hours.The largest building on the site would be the warehouse at the centre on the development. It will include more than 100 vehicle loading bays and a HGV fuel refill area. Nearby will be a three-storey detached office building, a three-storey multi-storey car park and a separate area for bicycle storage.There will also be a number of smaller buildings, including a gatehouse, a technical service block, a wash area and a vehicle maintenance hut.In a report published ahead of a planning committee meeting on April 25, details of which company will occupy the distribution centre have not been included but it notes that staff members will be working shifts between 4am and 4pm.