RESIDENTS in a Thurrock village are being urged to register their opinions on a controversial planning application from a nearby site.

Thurrock Council is due to make a decision on a retrospective planning application for a vehicle repair shop which is based on a rural lane close to the village.

The business, at Wantz Cottages, on St Mary's Lane, has been the source of local concern for some time, with residents saying that the site is in a dangerous position for traffic and, as it is in green belt, should not even be operating.

Following a number of complaints to Thurrock Council, its operators have now applied for formal permission – something that many residents in the area believe should not happen.

A spokesperson for villagers against the application says: "Any of you who have driven down St Mary's Lane in the last year will have noticed the illegal tyre place that appeared in the garden of 9 Wantz Cottage that was owned by Michael Field until his sad passing in 2018.

"They have added an entrance just after the bend which vans pull out of dangerously, or sit in the road whilst someone opens the gate. You will also have noticed the total decimation of trees and hedges to create a flat area visible from the road on which they dump cars and old tyres.

"It's a residential plot and also green belt land so there is no legal way they could have got permission for a commercial business there. Yet an area has been paved, a mobile home and a shipping container has been put in place.

"After many complaints by neighbours it looks like someone has pulled them up on it since they have now applied for planning permission to be there."

The full application can be viewed here.

A decision is due to be made by 1 July. Though the comments portal on the council planning site does not accept direct comments, the case officer dealing with the application can accept them via email to [email protected].