AVELEY has "outgrown village status" and now has more in common with a small town, a planning inspector has ruled while approving a major development previously rejected by Thurrock Council.

Planning inspector Matthew Jones made his ruling, which is sure to upset many long term Aveley residents who are passionate about their designation as a village, after a site visit and hearing as developers Mountpark Properties Limited and Arterial Hub LLP challenged the council's refusal of plans for seven industrial and logistics units on the former Fire Service Club and sports ground off Purfleet Road.

The scheme, which was originally rejected by councillors, has now been given the green light after the inspector concluded its benefits outweighed the harm.

However, Mr Jones has rejected an application from the developers for legal costs, saying the council comprehensively set out its case and he rejected the allegation that the council's planning committee put the applicants to unnecessary and wasted expense.

The site was historically used as a private sports ground by the London Fire Brigade but has been unused since 2015.

There have been a number of applications for development of the site over the years, including for housing. In 2013 a plan for more than 500 homes there was rejected.

In 2024 Nub News reported on a tandem development project that would see a compensatory sports development at Belhus.

The newly approved development will deliver industrial and logistics floorspace, office accommodation, new access roads and parking for both staff and HGVs.

In a key part of the decision, Mr Jones rejected arguments that Aveley should be treated as a village for planning policy purposes.

The decision states: "In terms of Aveley being a town or village for the purposes of policy, the balance falls in favour of it being a town.

"This is because it is excluded from the Green Belt, whereas the villages of Thurrock are washed over by the designation. Moreover, having visited, I am taken by Aveley's scale.

"Its core may have the limited services of a village, but the settlement has clearly undergone extensive expansion, particularly to the north and east, and has a fairly sprawling character around a network of roads.

"This is to such extent that it has outgrown village status and has more the character of a small town."

The inspector stressed the conclusion was reached solely for the purpose of determining the appeal and was "without prejudice" to residents who continue to regard Aveley as a village.

While the development would cause "less than substantial harm" to the setting of the Grade II-listed Fanns Farmhouse, the inspector found this was outweighed by the scheme's public benefits.

Those benefits include the creation of jobs, new employment space, improved transport connections and investment in local sports facilities.

The site was also judged to meet the definition of grey belt land rather than Green Belt, with the inspector concluding the development would not undermine the wider Green Belt, occupies a sustainable location and would help meet demand for industrial and logistics space across the area.

When the plan was rejected in September last year Srikanth Panjala, then Labour councillor for Aveley and Uplands said: "There is the growing industrial presence and it is having real world consequences for our local people. Many residents are struggling to sell their homes with property values declining as industrial development increases.

"The over industrialization of this area is not only reducing the quality of life, but also financially harming long term residents and there are mental and health concerns. Additionally, industrial development will exacerbate existing issues of air pollution. This environmental impact poses a serious threat to public health and contradict efforts to build a greener, healthier communities."

Speaking for the applicant, Lauren Patel said: "The scheme has been carefully considered and subject to extensive pre application discussions and public consultation. The development of this redundant and partially previously developed grey belt site would be many economic benefits to Thurrock. It will also deliver a significant investment in top class sports and recreation facilities for the local community. The development would support Thurrock's future employment needs and its ambition to be a focus area for economic growth."

There was support for the scheme from Reform Russell Cherry, who has subsequyebnlkty becoime chair of the planning committee.

He backed the scheme. He said: "It looks quite exciting to me. They said they can leave us with 40 per cent of green belt in the development.

"It will provide much needed work in the area for people. Which hopefully if they from the area will cut down on travelling and commuting elsewhere so. I think as it is if his is a good development thinking."

However, councillors rejected the scheme saying it would merge the towns of Purfleet and Aveley by using green belt which currently separates them and there was unproved need for warehouses in the location.