A GROUP of cross-party councillors and a member of Thurrock Council's planning committee have called for a probe into the recent decision to approve, against officer advice, a car preparation plant on the site of the former Thurrock FC's ground at Ship Lane.

As part of the deal offered by car company Group 1 Automotive, Grays Athletic have been offered the stadium for free.

In a letter to the council's legal and monitoring officer sent this morning, five councillors have expressed their 'diminishing faith' in the integrity of the planning committee and they have been publicly critical of committee chair Cllr Tom Kelly, saying recent decisions lay the council open to charges of bias and corruption. They also questions the voting of Cllrs Georgette Polley and Adam Carter who supported the application.

Steve Taylor, who is a non-voting representative on the planning committee for CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England), has also added his name to the letter.

And there is support from East Tilbury community representatives angered by a recent decision to approve more than 200 new homes in their village.

Others on the letter – which can be read in full via this link – are community representatives in Aveley who are against the car preparation site on their doorstep.

The letter details concerns about the Ship Lane decision and how it was reached despite widespread opposition and three previous rejections of what is essentially the same plan.

The letter opens by saying: "We are writing to you jointly as a group of cross party councillors, independent experts and community forums with major concerns around the planning decision on Thursday, 13 July to grant permission for the development of a 1224 space PDI (car preparation plant) on Green Belt land on Ship Lane in Aveley, to the applicant, Group 1 Automotive.

"Our request is going to centre on the conduct of the meeting and we will question the legality of how it was run, the quality of the environmental studies, and the decision reached.

"This is in addition to the clearly inappropriate nature of a car preparation plant on Green Belt land, and the manifold planning regulations this goes against. The meeting itself was shambolic, with councillors running around arguing over who could take part, who could be a substitute, with members of the committee themselves not knowing what was going on, let alone the viewing public."

The letter adds: "The actual debate was often off-topic, and there was no legal adviser present to remind members of their actual planning remit. In particular, is the matter of the gifting of the existing football stadium on the site to Grays Athletic FC. This was not a planning issue, as was made clear by Matthew Gallagher on the night. No permission is needed, and it could clearly operate as a stadium without the intervention of Group 1. However, this was repeatedly brought up in discussion. Indeed, it was the reason that Cllr Carter gave for going against the advice of the experienced and qualified planning officer."

As well as the Group 1 Automotive application, a major application for the development of a large logistics park adjacent to Ship Lane – but unconnected with the Group 1 Automotive – was due to be heard.

Cllr Ben Maney challenged Cllr Kelly before the meeting. prompting the request for legal advice.

In the end, after legal advice around which councillors could sit on it, the item was deferred and Cllr Kelly said: "It's planning, it's complicated' when announcing that decision but the concern has piqued the interest of East Tilbury councillors and villagers because the same agency behind the housing development in East Tilbury is behind the planned logistic park

London-based Iceni has won a number of controversial planning decisions in the borough in the green belt over recent years.

In the wake of the meeting, Thurrock Nub News formally asked Thurrock Council to explain what decisions had been made by Cllr Kelly and his advisors in relation to procedural matters and who could – or could not – sit on matters to be discussed at the meeting?

Concerns were expressed in this story.

The council has declined to answer a range of detailed and specific questions we asked about the integrity of the meeting, the decisions made and the eligibility of councillors. It issued a brief statement saying: "In line with Thurrock Council's constitution, the application was deferred to enable the planning officer to draft a further report for a subsequent meeting of the committee, outlining the implications of making a decision contrary to the planning officer's recommendation."

We again asked for a specific comment on what had happened and clear public concern about the decision-making process – but again the council has declined to make a further statement.

In the light of today's letter, showing genuine and significant concern both within the council and beyond, we have repeated our request for more detailed answers.

However, the issue may now be forced by the letter and the request by five councillors for further investigation by the legal and monitoring officer.

The councillors are Maureen Pearce (Conservative) and Srikanth Panjala (Labour), both from Aveley and Uplands ward, Fraser Massey and Sue Sammons who are independent members representing East Tilbury and Gary Byrne (Independent) from the Homesteads ward in Stanford-le-Hope.

Other signatories include John Rowles, chair of Purfleet Forum, Sue Hewer, chair of Aveley and Kenningtons Forum, John Purkiss, chair of the WELCOM Forum in East Tilbury, Cathy Sisterson of Aveley's Green Belt Action Group and Craig Johnson, CEO of Aveley Football Club.

Among the comments they make is: "The meeting itself was shambolic, with councillors running around arguing over who could take part, who could be a substitute, with members of the committee themselves not knowing what was going on, let alone the viewing public.

"We are sending this jointly, as we have diminishing faith in the planning committee under the chairmanship of Cllr Kelly to properly carry out its function. This lays it open to charges of bias and even of corruption.

"At a time when the council's reputation has already been severely damaged by the financial situation, we think that the integrity and transparency of all our decision making is crucial, and we are now giving you the opportunity to scrutinise the proceedings leading to the decision on this application and ensure that you are confident in their integrity."

Hands up for controversial decision to build homes in East Tilbury.

The interest of East Tilbury councillors and village representatives harks back to the decision to allow 230 homes to be built on green belt land behind the George and Dragon pub in East Tilbury. The decision was driven home by Conservative councillors on the committee, led by Cllr Kelly who downplayed local objections. Also in support was Cllr Carter as was Cllr Paul Arnold - though he was among the three who objected to the Group 1 Automotive bid at Ship Lane on environmental grounds.

And the role of another councillor, Jimmy Thandi, has provoked concern. He was the 'substitute' councillor that was brought in to sit on the application for the Mardyke Logistics Park, proposed by Iceni - who were the agents behind the Linford development.

He also supported the application for 230 homes and commented at the planning meeting: "I think we should welcome this. It's a great, great opportunity. We should have arms open to the company and hope they build again in the borough."

In the end it was the eligibility of Cllr Thandi to sit on another Iceni application that appeared to trigger concerns at the meeting, which included the pre-meeting exchange of views between Cllr Kelly and his Conservative colleague Cllr Ben Maney, whose wife and fellow councillor Jacqui Maney, who represents Uplands and Aveley, was told she couldn't sit when the decision over the logistics park was to be considered!