A MULTI-MILLION pound funding boost has been given to Purfleet-on-Thames to help with the town’s £1billion regeneration master-plan.

The town has secured £75million from the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) which will help to create thousands of new homes, support jobs in the area and work towards making Purfleet safer, greener and healthier.

The new funds from central government will help to deliver necessary infrastructure to unlock 2,850 new homes in the area.

As well as new homes, the £1billion regeneration plan will also deliver a new town centre, railway station and a new primary school.

The first phase of the plans were given the go ahead to start creating 61 new homes and a childrens’ play area.

Councillor Qaisar Abbas said: “Local residents have been waiting a long time for the regeneration of Purfleet-on-Thames to begin in earnest, so this is an important milestone and it’s important Thurrock Council, and its partners, now really get cracking on delivering for the people of Purfleet-on-Thames.”

HIF bid proposals were submitted to Homes England in 2018 by Thurrock council in 2018 in conjunction with development partner Purfleet Centre Regeneration Limited (PCRL), a joint venture between Swan Housing Association and developer Urban Catalyst which will see a vibrant new riverside community created in Purfleet.

The main infrastructure works are set to start next month and are expected to last for approximately three years.

Councillor Mark Coxshall shared his frustrations at how long the regeneration plans have been in the pipeline, and hopes the funding will be the right boost to get works started.

Mr Coxshall said: “This HIF funding of £75m this now makes a combined total of nearly £150 million from Thurrock Council and the Conservative Government to the Purfleet regeneration project. Our delivery partner Purfleet Centre Regeneration Limited now must deliver. Over the last months few months there has been intense negotiations with PCRL to make the development agreement signed by the last administration into a better place. That work has been long and hard.

“PCRL have the money and planning permissions, time to get on with it.”