Thurrock’s draft local plan has been published, ahead of a meeting on Wednesday 26 August, when the Cabinet will be asked to give the green light for the draft plan to go out to public consultation.
The draft plan sets out where future homes, jobs, infrastructure and community facilities should be located over the next two decades, with only small numbers of new homes built in the first few years of the plan.
All councils must have a Local Plan, and where councils have failed to produce one, such as Basildon, the Government has used its powers to intervene and take over the process. Across Essex and East London, the majority of authorities either have an adopted Local Plan in place or are actively progressing a replacement plan through the statutory process.
Leader of the Council, Cllr Richard Bingley said: “On taking up the role as Council Leader in May 2026, I found it bizarre that Thurrock did not have a Local Plan for housing and infrastructure. By avoiding taking this important step previously, the council created a situation where we have no legal mechanism to prevent poor development, and limited clout to demand the delivery of much-needed neighbourhood infrastructure: roads, shops, sports pitches, parks, nature trails, GP surgeries, schools and so on.
“The council is now under new leadership, and we are determined to get to grips with this issue for the benefit of all Thurrock residents and businesses. Thurrock Council might not exist in a few years and so we need to take every opportunity now to put Thurrock residents at the heart of big changes that will affect them for many years to come.
“Housebuilding in Thurrock is going to happen with or without a local plan, due to Government housing targets that are imposed upon all councils. We can either be in control of our housing developments, or be moved aside by central government officials, dubbed ‘planning commissioners’. Rather than allowing large amounts of low quality development, we are going to use this plan to put Thurrock back in the driving seat and demand the best for local people.”
Cllr Alan Benson, Deputy Leader of Thurrock Council, said: “A strong local plan is Thurrock’s best and only defence against poorly designed developments in the wrong places and upon our green spaces. Our draft plan sends a clear message to anyone wanting to build homes or other developments in Thurrock that we want to see quality new family homes surrounded by manicured green spaces, community facilities, schools, shops and better roads. It also makes sure that as much development as possible happens on brownfield, grey belt and abandoned or unused land."
Cllr Tom Kelly, Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Environment, added: “Despite the huge pressure on councils to deliver large numbers of new homes, our plan sets out some clear principles, including the protection of our villages, and the countryside that is such a proud feature of Thurrock. Under the draft local plan, more than half (56%) of our borough stays as green belt – that’s 25,000 acres of green belt, acres of green space that can be left to nature, opened to the public as nature trails, or used for recreation.”
Cllr George Monk, Cabinet Member for Deregulation, Efficiency and Civic Pride, said: “The six-week consultation is a genuine opportunity for local people to tell us what they think of the plan. We can use the Local Plan to shape the change in ways that help give local people what they want and need, helping to deliver local health, sport and educational facilities, and build civic pride in our borough by holding housebuilders to account.
“I hope everyone with an interest in the future of Thurrock will attend the local consultation workshops being scheduled across the borough, write and talk to their local councillors, and take time to look at the draft plan and give their feedback.”
After the consultation, the plan and the comments received will be considered by a central government Planning Inspector, throughout 2027, and, if approved, adopted by Thurrock Council at some point during 2028.