A SCULPTURE celebrating Tilbury's maritime history is set to become a new landmark on the banks of the Thames.

Thurrock Council planning officers have approved plans for the 4.5-metre-high finger-post sculpture and an 8.5-metre bench outside the historic Tilbury Riverside Station.

Made from weathered Corten steel and Iroko timber, its branching arms will point towards places connected with Tilbury's maritime past, including destinations once served by ships and reflected in local road names.

The sculpture is intended to serve as both a striking welcome for visitors and a way of telling the story of the historic riverside site.

A bench will wrap around its base facing the Thames, while a dedicated accessible seat with a backrest and armrests will allow people with limited mobility to sit alongside other visitors.

Two spotlights will illuminate the sculpture after dark, with additional wall-mounted entrance lights and freestanding lamps planned for the terrace.

The installation forms part of the Tilbury on the Thames Trust's wider Back on Track project to restore the Grade II* listed former railway station and bring more community activity to the site.

Designed by Sir Edwin Cooper and completed in 1924, the station has particular historic significance as the landing point of the Empire Windrush in 1948.

Architects behind the scheme said the sculpture's rust-coloured Corten steel had been chosen to reflect Tilbury's industrial and maritime character without overpowering the historic station.

It will stand on the station's eastern terrace in a redesigned public area welcoming visitors arriving from Fort Road.

The wider plans include improvements to landscaping and public space, as well as a new café opening onto the revamped area.

The scheme forms part of the Trust's long-term ambition to restore the station and cruise terminal complex as a cultural gateway telling the story of trade, military history and migration.

Planning officers said the sculpture would complement the site's industrial and maritime character while remaining sensitive to its historic surroundings.

A conservation officer also raised no objection, with the freestanding design meaning the listed station and its historic fabric will remain untouched.