THE chairman of Grays Athletic Football FC has written to the Interim Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer at Thurrock Council to defend his club's position - and the veracity of a planning decision that could mean the homeless club get a new home.

Last month Thurrock Nub News reported on the planning committee meeting when chairman Cllr Tom Kelly's casting vote gave the green light to a car preparation plant on land adjacent to the former Thurrock FC's Ship Lane stadium.

As part pf the deal non-League Grays Athletic, who were joint applicants on the application with Group 1 Automotive, get the keys to the stadium. Though it is now dilapidated and careworn, the club is confident it could be renovated to become their permanent new home.

The application was opposed by local residents and campaigners who had mounted a campaign of opposition and in the wake of the meeting thery met with several local councillors who then asked the legal director to review the lawfulness of the decision.

In a strongly-worded letter to Asmat Hussain they also questioned the motivation and reasons why the decision had been approved. They claimed the decision left the council open to charges of 'bias and corruption'.

Grays Athletic has hit back an and equally-strongly worded letter from club chairman Lee Vehit has landed on Ms Hussain's desk.

He says: "I refer to the letter published in Thurrock Nub News raising procedural concerns in respect of the determination of planning application 22/01672/FUL at Planning Committee on Thursday 13 July 2023. Grays Athletic Community Football Club is the joint applicant for the application, and I attended the meeting along with many other Grays Athletic supporters.

"I wish to respond to the letter in order to provide some balance and to highlight key inaccuracies contained within the published letter which are material, and which need to be recorded.

"The letter appears as a "kneejerk reaction" to a democratic process in which the Planning Committee has simply concluded differently to the views held by the authors of the letter. The letter is though based on a misunderstanding of planning policy, planning law and process and disappointingly makes several statements which are misleading and false.

"Contrary to the suggestion within the letter, each Member of the Planning Committee is entitled to reach their own opinion on the night regarding the issue of Very Special Circumstances (VSC) relevant to the application. What constitutes VSC and the weight attached to each issue is up to the decision maker and can differ from the planning officer's view.

"Planning is a democratic process, and the authors must recognise that others will have different views to their own.

"The statement that the gifting of the existing football stadium to Grays Athletic Community Football Club is not a planning issue is therefore wrong and reflects this misunderstanding and a misreading by the authors of the officer's report.

"Councillors are entitled to give weight to the fact that the application represents the only opportunity for Grays Athletic, who have been homeless for some 13 years, to have a new home and to bring the derelict Ship Lane stadium back into beneficial use which will, in turn, deliver substantial local community benefits.

"Notably, the number of people in support of this application numbered nearly 4,000, far outweighing the number of comments received in objection.

"The letter refers to the application as comprising a "car preparation plant". This is incorrect.

"As well as the community elements involved, the application involves a long-term car storage facility without any manufacturer procedures or processes and a building that represents around 3.5% of the land mass in question. It is not a car plant. Describing it as such, is I suspect, deliberately intended to be emotive and paint the application in a negative light.

"Grays Athletic Community Football Club I can confirm that Iceni Ecology has no connection with the agents for the application for Mardyke Park. It is simply a coincidence that both companies include the name Iceni (a historic tribe of East Anglia). One is a large national planning consultancy the other a one lady ecologist from north Norfolk. Even the briefest of research and checking would have confirmed this.

"The Mardyke Park proposals opposite the derelict Ship Lane stadium are by a different party without any common consultations or ownerships and have no connection to the proposals by Grays Athletic. To suggest a relationship between the schemes is disingenuous.

"It is very disappointing that this letter has been published which seeks to point criticism at Members of the Planning Committee who do an excellent job in often difficult circumstances weighing up and balancing competing interests.

"I would suggest using the word 'corruption' as the authors do, which is extremely ill-advised and that the signatories either produce evidence or redact this phrase from their letter. It is important to keep the planning debate based in fact and truth. These comments are damaging to our community-owned club and joint applicant Group 1, a Nasdaq-quoted company looking to invest in the UK and create local jobs.

"Indeed, given the inaccuracies and misinformation contained within the published letter, I would question whether the Councillors who have signed the letter are in fact abiding by the Council's stated ethical standards required of Councillors about honesty, integrity, and objectivity.

"The above application is hugely important to Grays Athletic and the future of our proud club and to all of our supporters and brings real benefits to local people. We, therefore, look forward to the application being brought back to the Planning Committee for ratification at the earliest opportunity."