The Hive will offer a range of facilities to drive skills and innovation across the Thames Estuary
DP World and Thames Freeport have broken ground on a £13mn amenities and innovation hub called The Hive at the London Gateway Logistics Park.
The investment is part of Thames Freeport’s goal to drive skills, innovation, and opportunity across the Thames Estuary. The 29,000 sq ft site will serve as a new focal point for local businesses, employee training, and community engagement, offering flexible meeting rooms and a dedicated training and innovation skills centre.
It will also feature a state-of-the-art gym, two sports pitches and food and drink facilities.
The multi-million-pound investment into the local community will provide over 100 days of industrial and employability skills programmes per year, supporting around 1,125 trainees annually across the Freeport, the companies said.
They added that it marks the latest collaboration between DP World and Thames Freeport, co-funded as part of the Freeport’s seed-fund programme to create shared infrastructure for skills and innovation across its three council areas – Barking & Dagenham, Havering, and Thurrock.
Built by Goldbeck Construction, construction work on The Hive began in October and will be completed by March 2026, built to an ‘A+’ EPC Rating and BREAMM ‘Outstanding’ certification.
Alan Holland, CEO at DP World London Gateway Logistics Park, said: “When complete, The Hive will be a game-changer for businesses located across Thames Freeport, bringing together employers, regulators, investors, and the wider community to create a vibrant skills and innovation hub around London Gateway.
”Not only will it address the need for a flexible and connected shared space at the heart of the Logistics Park, but it will also support new jobs and the continued economic growth of the region, further enhancing our nationally significant logistics hub.”
Stuart Rimmer, interim CEO at Thames Freeport, added: “The Hive is a flagship early investment in our wider programme to attract new global investment, create high-quality jobs, and develop the skills needed for the industries of the future.
”By combining world-class facilities with targeted training and innovation programmes, we’re building the foundations of a thriving, sustainable economy across Thames Freeport and we’re delighted to partner with DP World to build the new facility.”
