THE first company hoping to occupy a £150million business park, which is set to create thousands of jobs, has been announced.

Ipeco Holdings Limited, a leading manufacturer in aircraft crew seating is hopes to occupy an 11,463 sqm industrial unit to the south east of the planned 50-acre Southend Airport Business Park off Cherry Orchard Way, Rochford.

Developer Henry Boot has submitted an application to Rochford District Council for the building.

A second application from Henry Boot seeks permission to complete a new “spine road” through the business park on land owned by Southend Council.

The new grey-clad building will be 7metres high with twin curved roofs. There will be 225 parking spaces and 69 cycle spaces. A perimeter fence will secure the site.

The new road will provide access to the proposed Ipeco plot as well as providing access through to Aviation Way, connecting to other Ipeco buildings currently in Aviation Way Business Park.

When finished Southend Airport Business Park will boast approximately one million square feet of office space, warehouses and hotel accommodation, as well as an innovation centre for new start-ups.

Andrew Moring, councillor responsible for infrastructure, said: "Airport Business Park Southend is crucial to the prosperity and economic growth of both Southend and the wider region, creating more local employment and opportunities for local business to expand and new ones to invest.

"We are therefore very pleased to see these two latest planning applications submitted by our partner Henry Boot to Rochford District Council that cover the next phases of infrastructure development and most importantly an application for the first building on the site from a local company proposing expansion."

A spokeswoman for Rochford District Council said: "The planning authority welcomes any proposals which seeks to meet the aims and objectives of a high quality business park within the remit of the London Southend Airport Joint Area Action Plan framework.”

Much of the business park is being built on land currently used by Westcliff Rugby Club. A new club house and pitches are nearing completion on neighbouring land as part of the first phase of the park.

Estate agents Dedman Gray have been marketing the site on behalf of Henry Boot Developments.

Director Mike Gray said: “The new rugby club is well into its construction and the rugby pitches have been seeded. The roundabout for the road to the business park has also been put in.

“The Ipeco application is good news. It’s really encouraging to see the first big occupier reach this stage.

“It’s also created a high level of inquiries from other businesses in the last few months.”

The land, formerly metropolitan green belt, was redesignated under the Joint Area Action Plan agreed by Southend and Rochford District councils to enable employment growth in the area.

Ipeco and Henry Boot were approached to comment.