Europe’s biggest out-of-town retail destination could be set for a major extension if plans currently being considered by the Government come to fruition.

Radical proposals have been tabled that could almost double the size of the Lakeside retail destination in Essex with the construction of a million sq ft of additional retail space and a million sq ft of leisure space.

The project is the brainchild of the Thurrock Development Corporation and the corporation’s chairman, Will McKee, who said the development could create over 6,000 much-needed jobs. But regional planning policy will have to be amended before the plan could be put into action.

“There is currently a presumption against further retail development at Lakeside,” McKee explained. “We need a policy that recognises Lakeside’s role as a regional economic driver.” A decision is not expected before 2010.

The corporation’s masterplan aims to improve links between the Lakeside Shopping Centre, the Lakeside Retail Park and the Tesco Extra store with a new rapid transit system bridging over the lake that currently separates the various retail attractions at Lakeside. At the same time an area of heavy industry to the south of the site would be redeveloped with new retail and leisure.

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