PLANS for a £10million Lidl supermarket in Tilbury have been recommended for approval after almost 200 residents backed it.

Planning officers have backed the scheme for budget supermarket on a green belt site at Bumbles Yard, St Chads Road.

If approved by Thurrock Council's planning committee on Tuesday, the new store is set to create 40 new jobs, 80 per cent of which will be for local people.

A 123-space car park will be "wrapped around the building" on the former stables site and there will be two EV charging points.

The store would be open from 7am to 11pm from Monday to Sunday, notwithstanding Sunday trading laws, which would limit the store to six hours of trading.

The council received 191 representations, all in support of the application.

Cllr Lynn Worrall, deputy leader of the council, said: "I absolutely welcome this. This is one of those planning applications where we need to listen to what the residents want. The residents clearly have made their voice very strong that they would like to see this there.

"It will give a different place for people to do their shopping. It maybe make Asda step up a little bit on what they offer at their stores. If it was to go through I would certainly be shopping there."

Cllr Worrall said an exception should be made to site the new supermarket on green belt.

She said: "It's much, much needed investment in the area. We give land away for industry. We've watched over the years as the Port of Tilbury took more and more land by the river and then as soon as it's something for the residents it doesn't meet the criteria. Absolutely I think this one of those times where we should make the exception and allow this to happen."

Cllr Worral added: "Unless you live down the dock end of Tilbury Asda is not within walking distance. This one would be completely the other end in amongst all the housing developments but in an estate just as you come into Tilbury. It's a piece of land that lends itself to this sort of development.

"I do believe it will bring other investment into Tilbury. It's a nice project."

In a report to the planning committee, officers said: "The principle of the development has two key considerations in this case. These are the site being within green belt and retail development which is outside the town centre.

"It is considered that the planning merits of the application are finely balanced but on assessment are acceptable in this instance."

The application may be referred to the secretary of state because of the two special considerations.