EXCLUSIVE: News and Comment

THURROCK Council has grovelled in face of big business and backtracked from a commitment to prosecute a company that blighted the lives of local residents for months.

Throughout last year residents close to the controversial construction site between Aveley and Purfleet adjacent to the A13 and A1306,where property developers Segro were building a massive new distribution centre had their lives disrupted by noise and light pollution.

Main contractors Winvic started work on the site - which is now known as the Segro Logistics Park Purfleet containing a warehouse and distribution facility for Ocado Retail - in December 2019. Throughout 2020 they ignored planning conditions imposed on the site restricting working hours.

They even did so after an application to extend those hours was rejected.

The contractors gained some concessions but the council said it stood firm on most of the conditions - particularly night working and weekend working. 'Firm', it appears, is a matter of opinion as the workers carried on regardless.

Thurrock Nubs News frequently reported on the problems experienced by residents – many of whom were unable to sleep at night because of the noise.

The council, which has made a habit of prosecuting local residents for minor offences like dropping cigarette butts and taking them before courts where they faced fines and costs mounting to hundreds of pounds, did little by way of enforcement, but finally, in September after more complaints from residents, said they would prepare a prosecution for breaches of its rules.

Now it transpires that has not happened because Sergo bosses told them their contractors would be good and not do it again!

It appears that sparing Sergo's blushes – and saving the multi-million pound company a few pounds in fines and costs – is more important than following the precedent of punishing local residents for their offences.

Not that it is the first time.

Residents in Stanford-le-Hope have expressed amazement at how constant breaches in traffic and environment legislation have been ignored by the council on the Stanhope Industrial Estate and there has been little or no enforcement of the law despite evidence being placed before the council.

And only yesterday (Friday, 8 January) the council appeared pedestrian in their approach to enforcement and prevention as yet again breaches in environment and planning laws were reported to them as contractors once more dug into a hillside near Biggin Lane in Chadwell St Mary. The diggers carried on after a visit by the council to the site.

Other flagrant breaches of the council's planning rules have been ignored by an enforcement team that appears does not want to enforce.

One of the most notable instances was the massive and illegal expansion of the Buckles Lane Traveller site in South Ockendon, which the council ignored for years despite many calls for action.

It wasn't until borough MP Jackie Doyle-Price had the council hauled before the Ombudsman who ruled against the authority that they finally started to take action.

It is somewhat ironic therefore that Ms Doyle-Price's partner, Thurrock Council Regeneration Portfolio Holder Mark Coxshall, has been wheeled out by the council's communications department to defend its position over Segro.

In a statement released by the council to Thurrock Nub News Cllr Coxshall said: "Thurrock Council received a number of complaints relating to the Segro site. The council served a breach of condition notice and subsequently started to prepare a prosecution case.

"Following the threat of legal action, Segro's directors contacted the council setting out a number of changes that they had made to their management of the project. In doing so, the company gave their absolute guarantee that the development would be continued in accordance with the planning permission.

"The purpose of enforcement action was always only intended to ensure that the developer adhered to the terms of the planning permission.

"The written assurances given by Segro and their appointed contractors, Winvic, was considered acceptable and it was not considered necessary to proceed with the prosecution case or dedicate further public money unnecessarily.

"No further breaches of planning control have been reported and the site has since been formally handed over to Ocado for the final internal fit out works. This development will bring more than 28,000 sq. m of floor space and up to 1,500 jobs when it opens in September 2021.

"We take all reports of unauthorised activity very seriously and we will continue to monitor the site to ensure no there are no further breaches. If residents continue to experience further problems please report them to the council by visiting thurrock.gov.uk/report so that it can be fully investigated and quickly resolved."

Aveley ward councillor Cllr Colin Churchman told Thurrock Nub news today: "From day one these people were breaking the rules. I am not happy with this decision and none of the residents are. The residents down there went through hell. Our enforcement team is not doing the job they are supposed to be doing."

Is signing a planning permission agreement not an 'absolute guarantee'?

Thurrock Nub News editor Neil Speight says: "This saga went on for a year and the council turned a blind eye for most of it despite having damning evidence put in front of them. It is appalling that, having finally given a commitment to prosecute, the council have backtracked.

"And to say they did it because the firm and contractors said 'sorry, we won't do it again' is a joke. I am sure everyone who was fined for dropping a fag in Grays High Street turned round and said 'sorry' when they were tapped on the shoulder – but it cut no ice with those enforcement officers.

"We regularly see small traders prosecuted, remember people getting fined for having A-boards outside their shops as they tried to make a living? So why should it not be the same with these big businesses?

"The council keeps saying 'Thurrock is open for business' - maybe they should extend that catchphrase to 'Thurrock is open for big businesses to come and trample all over the local people and the rule of law'.

"The prime example of Thurrock Council bowing down – at the end of a year-long horror show – because Segro's bosses said they would give their absolute guarantee that the development 'would be continued in accordance with the planning permission' totally sums it up.

"Did not Segro's bosses make that same 'absolute guarantee' when they signed off on accepting the planning permission and building conditions in the first place? Or are those documents totally worthless. It seems that is the case!"

Related story: [L]https://thurrock.nub.news/n/39shameful39-act-says-angry-community-cair-who-says-site-developers-have-39stuck-two-fingers-up-at-aveley39 {L+]Shameful act.[.L]