MORE than 1,000 jobs could be created as part of an expansion of Lakeside Shopping Centre.

Owners of the shopping complex, in West Thurrock, are hoping to create up to 1,500 jobs as part of a £160million expansion.

Capital Shopping Centres wants to create an extension equivalent in size to just over four football pitches.

The company, which owns 14 shopping centres, is planning the extension after making an operating profit of £97million before tax in 2010.

It would not reveal how much of that profit was from Lakeside, but said the shopping centre had “an excellent year” in 2010.

Thurrock’s Tory MP, Jackie Doyle-Price, welcomed the news, but is concerned about the impact it will have on traffic around Lakeside.

She said: “This is great news. Expansion at Lakeside underlines its status as a major retail hub and I welcome the investment and the jobs that will flow from it.

“But, we do need to ensure the local infrastructure is able to cope and since the vast majority of shoppers get to Lakeside by car, this will add to the pressure on Thurrock’s already overloaded road network.”

The company expects a planning application for the proposed extension to be submitted this year.

Lakeside’s general manager, Paul Lancaster, said: “At this stage of design development we are unable to confirm the size and timing of the proposals.”

CSC plans to spend nearly £600million in total with major extensions to its Victoria Centre in Nottingham, and the Braehead centre in Glasgow, in addition to Lakeside.

It is hoped these three extensions will create at least 4,500 jobs in total.