A PLANNING application for a huge enterprise park at Coryton in Thurrock is due to be submitted soon - and could pave the way for the third road off the island.

The Thames Enterprise Park, a new centre for energy and environmental technology, is being planned for the former Coryton oil refinery site.

A consortium of Vopak, Shell and Greenergy took over the 580-acre site in September 2012, just weeks after a bitter battle to save the refinery ended, with the loss of 750 jobs.

Work has already been carried out to demolish the chimneys and the plans for the development have been worked on for a number of years since the refinery was forced to close.

About 2,000 new jobs are expected to be created at the site, between Shell Haven Creek and Hole Haven Creek, which separates Canvey from the mainland.

Castle Point Council has already been consulted on the proposal ahead of the full application being put to Thurrock Council, which has the final decision on whether the application gets the go-ahead or not as the site falls under its jurisdiction.

No details about what aspects of the application have been supported or opposed by Castle Point Council have been released.

A spokesman for Thurrock Council said: “Plans for the Thames Enterprise Park at the former Coryton site are in the pre-application stage while we consult neighbouring councils and other stakeholders.

“The council does not share details of this application at this non-statutory point in the process.

“Should any statutory application be submitted in future, full details will be published on the Thurrock Council website and the usual public notification and consultation process will be carried out.”

Castle Point councillor Ray Howard said he and other Canvey residents had been pleased by the closure of the plant, as they experienced a lot of the emissions from the site, which often smelt bad, when it had been operational.

He added: “I am delighted to think a big development such as this could be built, as it will bring thousands of jobs.

“I would welcome it, but I would like to see the third access road being built as a condition of it being given approval.

“The road would go from Northwick Road to Manorway, where the refinery is.

“This would benefit the people on Canvey who might want to work there, and also the people in Thurrock as it would make another access.”

He added the consultation with Castle Point was due to the borough being a neighbour of the proposed development.

A number of other agencies will also be consulted before the application is put before Thurrock Council.

There had been fears that the regeneration of the area wouldn’t go ahead due to Brexit but this now looks unfounded.