RESIDENTS in Grays have welcomed news that plans by Thurrock Council to consider a public open space as a site for new social housing have been put on hold.

Last year the council sparked controversy across the borough by announcing a list of 20 sites it was considering as suitable for residential development.

Several of them have since been dropped after local opposition, but up until yesterday one of the more controversial, a plan for 60 homes on Elm Road Park in Grays remained on the table.

However, at last night's (Tuesday, 19 January) meeting of the council's overview and scrutiny committee members were told "no progress proposed at this point as site is landlocked."

The news was welcomed by local ward councillors and residents who had waged a long campaign, their second in succession, against the scheme. In 2018 local residents successful campaigned against a council plan to use the site for a new school.