DESPITE significant local opposition and many local residents continuing to object to plans to build a pre-delivery inspection car plant on the site of the former Thurrock Football Club in West Thurrock, local ward councillor David van Day has come out in support of the renewed bid.

The original plans were defeated at a meeting of Thurrock Council's planning committee in February but a second application was made in June with plans that residents say offer only minimal changes to the original.

However, they have been enough to persuade Aveley's Cllr van Day to issue his public support for the scheme, saying: "I believe that the benefits of this proposal clearly outweighs the harm and loss to the Green Belt."

In a submission to the planning application supporting the application by Group 1 Automotive goes on to detail what he perceives as he many benefits of the scheme, including what he interprets as an opportunity for Aveley residents to choose which football club might take possession of what will remain of he football ground.

Grays Athletic had previously been nominated by the applicants to take over the ground.

He says: "Most people in Aveley opposed Grays Athletic FC from taking over management of the club. Group 1 have created a mechanism that empowers local people to make that decision through a committee (created through a Limited Liability Partnership) that will ask Thurrock clubs to submit tenders to take over the running of the club."

You can read Cllr van Day's full submission, and the objections of many local residents, via this link.

An updated submission by the applicants can also be found here.