DETAILS plans of how work will be carried out to demolish part of Thurrock Council's civic offices and build a controversial new block have been submitted for planning approval.

The work on the project, which has been driven through by the council's ruling Conservative group despite a majority of councillors opposing it – and which gained planning approval largely on a technicality as opposition members were unable to vote on it – will be carried out by Kier Construction, the company currently undertaking the massively over-budget and delayed A13 widening project.

The reserved planning details put before the council's planning committee give details of the new building, some seen for the first time, and detail how the area will be made safe during demolition and construction.

The project – widely branded a 'vanity' scheme' by its opponents is estimated to be going to cost £10 million – a figure that project critics say is massively underestimated.

Last month the council was forced to give out details of how it blundered in its previous contract negotiations with Kier over the A13 project, with costs spirally hugely out of control as the contractor factored in work that the council had not planned for.

Its senior officers, who are also championing this project, faced calls to be 'held to account' for their mistakes.

You can see full details of the new works programme and make comment via this link.