Grays Shopping Centre homes plan submitted to Thurrock Council

Plans to demolish Grays Shopping Centre will add to "vitality and viability" of the town, it is claimed

Plans to replace a shopping centre with 1,000 tower-block homes have been submitted.

Developer New River REIT has applied to Thurrock Council to redevelop the centre and its multi-storey car park on Crown Road, Grays, Essex.

If successful, the homes will be built in blocks up to 20 storeys high.

Mark Coxshall, the councillor responsible for regeneration, strategic and external relations, said he was "very supportive" of the plans.

"There are good transport links there," he said.

"People who buy a flat will be able to buy a parking space but it is so close to the rail station that some people may not need a car."

The developer has applied for a screening opinion, which will see the council decide if an environmental impact assessment is required.

Although still in the early stages of the planning process, if successful the new development will include 80,000 sq ft (7,432 sq m) of retail space - a reduction from the current 170,000 sq ft (15,793 sq m) - plus any necessary infrastructure additions and landscaping.

Planning documents state that the new housing will "contribute towards the vitality and viability of Grays", in line with the town's development plan.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, current calculations indicate a need for 1,173 new homes per year in Thurrock, with a minimum of 22,287 new homes between required between 2014 and 2037.