AFTER years of friction, argument and dispute it appears axes have been buried and warring factions concerned with the future of historic Coalhouse Fort have reached agreement that means its doors could be reopened soon.

Earlier this week representatives of volunteer groups associated with the Napoleonic building met with Thurrock Council officials and councillors to discuss the future of the site, which closed its doors in January 2020.

Following the meeting Thurrock Council has announced the fort is set to re-open its gates to visitors for the first time in more four years as surveys get underway to identify what works are required to return the fort to its former glory.

A series of open days will also take place at Coalhouse Fort, giving residents with an interest in history an opportunity to have their say on how it should be run in the future.

In 2020 Thurrock Nub News exclusively broke the news last year of the folding of the almost exclusively volunteer-run Coalhouse Fort Project .

At the time there was a split among its members with a faction increasingly frustrated and happy about the lack of investment and commitment from the council into the project.

Another quorate within the volunteers felt that the time had come for 'a new approach' and they put their trust in the council to deliver it.

Coalhouse Fort

Now Cllr Val Morris-Cook, Cabinet member for Community Partnerships, said: "We are pleased that this historic monument will finally re-open to the public and we can begin to assess what work is required to fully re-open it.

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"We will be working with Historic England to ensure that all renovations carried out are appropriate, up to their standards, and in keeping with this historic landmark.

"Following such a long period of being closed it's great to see Coalhouse Fort open its doors again. We look forward to opening up more and more of this great landmark in the future as work on it progresses."

The first open day is expected to take place this autumn.

Funding for the project has been made available from the Lower Thames Crossing's Designated Heritage Fund.