RESIDENTS in Tilbury are expected to air their views tonight (Thursday, 16 June) on plans for a new youth facility in the town.

Thurrock Council and its partner organisation the Tilbury Town Fund have outlined initial plans to pump around £8 million into a project for a new centre to be run in conjunction with the Onside Youth Zone organisation, a national charity which helps fund, build, launch and support a network of state-of-the-art, multimillion-pound Youth Zones in the UK's most disadvantaged areas.

The Tilbury Town Fund, set up in 2020 to spearhead government investment of more than £20 million into projects where they are most needed to uplift the town, plans to include an Onside Youth Zone in the Town Investment Plan for Tilbury.

The fund hopes to offer a grant of £4.2 million towards the projected £8.4 for the building of the facility – the rest being met by match funding and other investment. A budget has also been sketched out for the ongoing cost of running the centre.

The outline plan for the project is mapped out in this Thurrock Council briefing.

The concept has met with lots of approval in the town – but a major sticking point in terms of public opinion is its proposed location.

Currently it is widely believed (though official comment is scarce on the ground and there is little reference to the project on the Tilbury Town Fund) it is planned to site the new building on the Anchorfield, a public open space off Brennan Road. Part of the field has already been developed for flats – a move that was widely opposed in the town. and, somewhat ioronically, the Towns Fund website uses a picture of the anchorfield as an illustration of how it want to 'improve parks and create areas for play, sports, contemplation and exercise'.

An aerial view of the Anchorfield, showing flats in the foreground that were controversially given planning permission despite local opposition.

And the idea of giving up more space has not gone down well with many local residents who believe there plenty of brownfield sites available within Tilbury where the project could be sited – without taking away one of the few 'green lungs' left in the town.

Presently the national charity Fields in Trust lists just two treasured green spaces in Tilbury. The Anchorfield and the Daisy Field. The charity is charged with championing the value of parks and green spaces and its prime message is 'Because once green spaces are lost, they are lost forever'.

Local independent councillor John Allen is calling on local people to attend the meeting tonight and make their views known.

He says: "Few people oppose the idea of a new youth facility for Tilbury, it's much needed. But it cannot come at just any price.

"We have seen development piled up on top of development in Tilbury with little thought for infrastructure or the conditions for the residents and their requirements for a nice place to live.

"There are plenty of brownfield sites in Tilbury that could be adapted to take this new youth facility. Parts of the Anchorfield have already been given up against local people's wishes, now another chunk is being targeted. And what next when that's gone? Will the Daisy Field be the next space that they want to chew up?

"We keep getting told by our MP and leading councillors that there is a need for a bit of tender love and care for Tilbury. This isn't TLC it's bullying.

"I would urge Tilbury residents to show their support by way of attending forum meeting and making sure the opposition is recorded.

"We shouldn't let our green space be taken away without a damn good fight!"

Tonight's meeting will take place at the Tilbury Hub on Civic Square, starting at 7pm. Residents can also get access to a zoom link by emailing [email protected].

Local dignitaries celebrated investment in facilities at the Daisy Field last year.

The Tilbury Town Fund has already made some investment in improving the town's green spaces, including Anchorfield and the Daisy Field. Last year a new outdoor gym, Parkour equipment and running tracks, aimed to help people get active, were installed at the Daisy Field - though some of the equipment was later vandalised!

Funding has also been pumped into improving facilites at the existing Tilbury Youth Centre based at Centenary House.