PLANS to convert a former retail unit in a Grays shopping parade into a day nursery and tuition centre have been refused by councillors following dozens of objections and concerns over road safety, parking and the loss of retail space.

Members of Thurrock Council's planning committee voted against the proposal for 1B Kingston Parade, Hathaway Road, at a meeting on Tuesday (14 April), after hearing warnings that the scheme would be unsafe.

The application sought permission to change the ground floor unit into a weekday nursery for up to 18 children, with language and religious education classes for up to 40 students at weekends.

Speaking at the meeting, council leader and Grays Thurrock ward councillor Lynn Worrall said the refusal was not about opposing childcare provision, but whether the site was suitable.

She said the unit sits within a designated shopping parade, where policy requires ground floor retail uses to be retained unless there is clear evidence they are no longer viable or a demonstrable community need.

Members of the planning committee.

"Neither has been provided here," she said. "There is no marketing evidence, no viability assessment and no proof of unmet need, despite a recent appeal on this very site."

However, she said highway safety was the most significant issue. "A nursery use is fundamentally different from retail. It generates concentrated peak time trips involving parents and children," she said.

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"The proposal fails to provide policy compliant parking, fails to provide safe access and, crucially, fails to provide any workable pick up or drop off arrangement."

Cllr Worrall said the proposed parking bays were too shallow to function safely, lacked a dropped kerb and were located next to a bus stop and roundabout. The council's Highway Authority had objected to the scheme, describing the arrangements as unacceptable and unsafe.

Cllr Sue Shinnick echoed her views, saying: "I go down this road all times of the day and it's a nightmare. No way could I vote for this."

Cllr Roy Jones said Hathaway Road was already heavily used. "That junction in particular is very busy and people use it as a cut through. I just cannot see any benefit of putting a nursery there," he said

A fourth councillor, Jacqui Maney, also said the application was flawed said residents were "genuinely frightened" about the impact the development would have if approved. She added: " I wouldn't be voting for this in a month of Sundays."

The refusal follows 30 written objections from residents and comes after a previous proposal to convert the site into a place of worship was rejected in 2023, with a subsequent appeal dismissed.

The residents' fears were encapsulated by local man Vince Turner who spoke on their behalf, saying some of the blame for traffic issues lie with the council who do not 'police the area' and tackle bad parking. He said: "It's like the wild west in Ward Avenue and the council can't be bothered to enforce the planning rules.

"We the residents and neighbours strongly object to this application."

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