A PUBLIC meeting, organised by opponents of plans to create a car preparation plant adjacent to the former Thurrock FC ground on Ship Lane, Aveley, will take place next week.

It will be hosted at Parkside, the home of Aveley FC, on Thursday, 23 February.

The meeting will run from 7 to 9pm.

A statement by the organisers says: "There will be a hugely damning impact on the green belt in Ship Lane, which will have a negative affect on those living in Aveley, Ockendon and Purfleet.

"As residents of Aveley we want to stop this development. Planning objections will be in terms of protecting the green belt."

Joint applicants for the scheme, alongside the Group One Automotive Group, are Grays Athletic FC, who will be gifted use of the former stadium and they plan to make it their new permanent home in the borough.

Earlier this month Grays put out a rallying cry to its supporters to back the project.

Some residents in Aveley believe the club and its supporters are not being fair to those living in the west of the borough who, protesters believe, will suffer the negative impacts of the site.

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The residents'' statement adds: "Grays Athletic have made a big efforts and galvanised their fans to comment in support of this application on the Thurrock Council website, despite the site clearly not being in Grays!"