Grays
The ancient town of Grays dates back to the Domesday Book and
until the last war was a small port with employment centred on a
chalk quarry and brickworks. Today, Grays is the civic centre of
Thurrock, with council offices, a central library and theatre.
Employment today is mainly in the logistics, packaging and
industries.
Grays Town Centre
With its access to the river and open space, Grays Town Centre
can be an inspiring civic centre for Thurrock, with modern
amenities and memorable buildings.
Our vision for Grays has skills and learning at its heart. The
new town centre will be the home to the Thurrock Learning Campus
and Learning Shop which will help culture and life to flourish in
the town. The curriculum at the Campus will link into the new
industries – particularly creative and cultural – that we are
fostering.
New transport links, a central square and a number of quality
new facilities will make the centre of Grays more integrated and
easy to use as well as providing new jobs.
Our plans for Grays include:
- a 300 berth leisure marina with public spaces, activities and
residential apartments is for 665 homes;
- a new residential community with about 1,000 homes and access
to the river;
- re-development of Station Square at the heart of the town –
with a new rail bus and taxi interchange, public space with hotel,
shops and offices and a new boulevard underpass to connect two
parts of the town;
- the Learning Campus – a new further and higher education
facility and Learning Shop with information and advice
and;
- a New Generation Community Hospital providing best
healthcare.
Beyond this, our Master Plan encompasses other plans, such as
the development of the area near Titan Works in Grays which will
provide 1,000 new homes within ten minutes of the town centre
with new pedestrian and cycle routes, new wildlife habitats and
open space.
Grays Riverside
Grays Riverside can be a major new leisure destination,
incorporating a marina, high quality homes and offices, cafes, bars
and restaurants. It will provide access to the river for everyone,
new and improved open spaces and good pedestrian and cycle
links.
As well as offering boating and watersport facilities there will
be children’s play areas and places where people can sit and relax.
The development is planned to offer high quality waterfront
living and working space with leisure facilities to attract and
retain businesses, new residents and create jobs, all within a
vibrant and energetic environment.
South Grays
Our vision sees South Grays becoming a vibrant new urban quarter
contributing to an invigorated Grays town centre. The station will
be improved and there will be a new further and higher education
learning campus, as well as a hotel, shops, homes and offices. The
town will reconnect with the Thames through a new boulevard railway
underpass and a lively and attractive network of routes and public
spaces leading down to an exciting new waterfront.
Reconnecting Grays to the Thames and making the most of its
enviable position is at the heart of the proposals for the revival
of the town. The vision for Grays sets the scene for an invigorated
town centre with new facilities including a landmark station,
learning campus and new generation community hospital, with a
lively and attractive network of routes leading down to an exciting
new waterfront.