THURROCK Council will have to go back to the drawing board in order to build 80 homes after allowing planning permission to lapse.

Thurrock Regeneration Ltd, a housing company owned by Thurrock Council will have to seek new planning permission for the homes on land it owns on the Belmont Road site in Grays.

Planning consent for the scheme was granted in November 2018 with the proviso work should begin within three years. That consent will run out on November 15 and with no chance of work beginning by then the consent will lapse.

All feasible options have been explored for sustaining the current planning consent and it is not considered possible to meet the material start condition. It is therefore necessary submit another planning application.

A report to councillors on the general services committee said: “ Over recent months the board of Thurrock Regeneration Ltd has considered, financial viability, comparative budget estimates, indicative delivery programme and risk profile. The Board agreed to amend the currently consented scheme - amending the design to meet current design standards-, but keeping the overall design, unit and tenure mix for 80 residential units.

“Thurrock Regeneration Ltd wants to ensure the Belmont Road development is progressed and on site as soon as possible, in order to provide further homes, private and affordable, to residents of the borough, working in partnership with the council to be part of the solution of providing new homes in Thurrock.”

Thurrock Regeneration Ltd allow the council to increase is delivery of housing, particularly on brownfield sites. Has a 32,000 home target up to 2037.

There are currently 62,000 homes in the borough, so the target represents a 50 per cent increase in the housing numbers in Thurrock.

The South Essex Strategic Housing Market Assessment also sets out the objectively assessed need for housing in Thurrock between 2014 and 2037 as 1,074-1,381 new homes per year, of which about 472 dwellings per annum should be affordable housing.

Thurrock Regeneration Ltd in partnership, with the council has contributed to these targets. One housing scheme, St Chads, has provided 128 homes of which 26 were affordable.