THURROCK Mayor and Stanford-le-Hope ward councillor Cllr Terry Piccolo has revealed the location of land Thurrock Council is hoping to buy to complete the rebuild of the town's rail station.

On Wednesday evening the council's cabinet met and agreed to negotiate the purchase of additional land next to the current, abortive station rebuild site.

The location was not revealed and any documentation was kept for councillors' eyes only.

However, after the meeting Cllr Piccolo issued a press release on behalf of Stanford West Conservatives revealing the location.

He said: "The original plan of building a mezzanine platform over the brook has been scrapped, replaced with the council now moving the bus turnaround to opposite the station site, with less intrusion on residential areas.

"Furthermore, through the purchasing of a neighbouring site, more commuter car-parking, which will go part-way to addressing the issues in areas where parking permits exist, and also enable residents from further afield to park in a dedicated car park extension."

Though it has not been specifically named by Cllr Piccolo the neighbouring site would appears to be that land currently occupied by the Daybreak Window company.

Cllr Piccolo added: "Everyone in Stanford-le-Hope and the surrounding areas wants to get the Station project done and delivered – and end the paralysis and deliver a station all of us were promised; at no extra cost to the taxpayer.

"The fact that the newly approved project delivers that – and addresses where commuters from the wider area actually park if they travel to Stanford-le-Hope station, and prevents the brook being covered over, is a massive positive.

"This should also help address the problems we've experienced since the Sand Pits Car Park was sold off cheaply by the former Labour administration. This project seeks to right many wrongs."

To read the exclusive report on Wednesday's cabinet meeting discussion click the red button below