WARD councillors have called on colleagues on Thurrock's planning committee to veto a retrospective application to site two containers to the rear of a Grays shop.

Residents in the area have complained to the council and councillors about the smell coming from the containers, behind shops at 150 and 152 London Road which have previously been used to store dried fish.

In March Thurrock Nub News reported on concerns and the objections of ward councillors Martin Kerin, Jane Pothecary and Tony Fish.

Following that story, the council's environmental health department acted to impose an 'Odour Abatement Notice', which was served on 27 April, requiring the operators to cease the production of odours.

A planning application is due to go before the planning committee this Thursday and though officers are recommending refusal, the trip of ward members want to do everything they can to ensure it does not get through.

Cllr Fish said: "For too long, my residents in Parker Road and London Road have been having to live with the awful smell of fish.

"This has been made worse by the warm weather and the fact that my residents can't use their gardens because of the smell.

"Myself, Cllr Kerin and Cllr Pothecary believe that enough is enough. I will be presenting a statement to the Planning Committee on behalf of the residents of Grays Riverside and urge the committee to kick this application out."

The applicant, Mr Jude Dicson, says that the containers will be used to store electrical items, not fish, and on that basis, there has nbeen no further objection from the environment department which informs the planning committee: "On the basis of this proposed end use, Environmental Health advise that the proposal should not give rise to such complaints (about smell) and there are no objections in this regard provided the storage of used electrical goods is the only activity on site."