THURROCK Council, which has taken to describing itself as 'bankrupt' and says it can only concentrate on statutory services to ensure the bare essentials can be provided for borough residents, has submitted plans for a £9 million transformation of Grays riverside.

The cash will come from the £19.9 million Town Deal grant from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which is being managed by the Grays Town Board.

Accompanied by CGI images, the plan portrays a massive redevelopment of the Thames frontage in Grays.

The application, drawn up by architects Tonkin Liu on behalf of Thurrock Council, says: "Against the backdrop of the Thames, the riverside area has the potential for growth as a new destination for both locals and visitors. It can be a key area for enterprise, leisure and well-being tapping into cultural activities and building on the existing diverse community.

"In this first phase, we seek to provide a seamless connectivity to the river; embracing the natural uses of the riverfront further by connecting existing open spaces and the riverfront.

"Our journey began back in 2020 when the residents of Grays expressed a desire to make better use of the riverside. The local community wanted a greener and more natural environment linked to the Thames and the wider town."

The council, which has a dreadful record on the delivery of major infrastructure plans including the A13 widening and Stanford rail station regeneration project, says its application follows a consultation with the Thurrock community.

Grays Riverside ward councillor Val Morris-Cook says: "

"I am really pleased that the Labour government is showing it's confidence in Thurrock's new Labour administration to deliver significant investment in Grays - by giving our Town fund millions of pounds for enhancing our flood defences, opening up access to the Thames and improving the quality of the open space around the river front.

"These measures will go a long way toward bringing in new business and increased footfall to the area.

"This area has been neglected for far too long and I am delighted we are, at last, getting the support and investment we deserve from our new government."

Full details of the planning application, made by the council to itself, can be found here. A detailed design statement can be read via this link.

The full application and associated documents, plus the opportunity to comment, can be found via this link.

Meanwhile, ordinary Grays residents are doing their best to practically impove the waterfront: https://thurrock.nub.news/news/local-news/pick-up-operation-will-clean-up-foreshore-and-recover-waste-plastic-resdients-are-invited-to-help-241616