A Thames Gateway regeneration agency trying to persuade the Chinese Olympic team to use south Essex as its training base for the 2012 Games.

The Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership wants to use the Olympics as a catalyst to build up relations with China as part of a wider strategy to create long-term commercial links.

The partnership wants to harness the strength of the Chinese economy to drive regeneration in Essex.

Thames Gateway South Essex is calling the initiative 鈥淧roject Mayflower鈥� after the ship used to carry the Pilgrim Fathers from Plymouth to America in 1620. It is set to lobby for investors to sink money for new sports facilities into the area.

Housebuilder Crest Nicholson has refused to comment on whether developer Gerald Ronson鈥檚 Heron Group has renewed his takeover bid for the firm. Ronson failed in a bid in May and had to wait six months before he could make another. The deadline elapsed on 4 November.