Grays South
- Capital Investment - Essex, Southend & Thurrock, More than £2m, LGF3
Approval Status
Fully Approved
Delivery Status
Project On Hold
Expected Completion Date
Autumn 2028
Provision of a new quarter within the town centre, creating a high quality arrival point including a new pedestrian crossing for the railway and new public spaces defined by new commercial developments.
The Project Objectives seek to:
- To improve public safety at the site of the level crossing by 2024, measured by Network Rail no longer allocating an All Level Crossing Risk Model (ALCRM) rating due to improved safety and the removal of the level crossing;
- To create an equalities act compliant, unimpeded route across the railway line from one side of Grays high street to the other by 2023;
- To deliver and create a high quality public realm at Grays by 2024;
- To improve connectivity between different modes of transport around Grays station by 2024; and
- To enable delivery of 84 homes and 1,279 sqm of retail floorspace to complete the Urban Realm at Grays by 2025
- To support commercial development in Grays by creating a more attractive town centre and higher quality commercial space. Measures to be used:
- Redevelopment of 1,279 sqm of commercial/mixed use floorspace by 2025
- Improved score relating to the quality of the commercial/mixed use experience in Grays obtained in a Grays public perception survey
- Improved score relating to the attractiveness of Grays as a place to do business obtained in a Grays survey of local businesses
The project has been subject to delays and cost increases. The Accountability Board in February 2022 were asked to note that an updated Value for Money assessment would be provided and assessed by the Independent Technical Evaluator, to ensure the project still offered value for money. This will be presented to the May 2022 Accountability Board.
As suggested above an updated value for money assessment was presented to the May 2022 Accountability Board which assessed that the project still offered high value for money and LGF spend was allowed to continue.
At the 16 February 2024 Accountability Board meeting the Board were advised that the Grays South project, as set out in the original Business case, was no longer viable. However, there was still a need to address the significant safety concerns posed by the existing railway crossing. Thurrock Council are developing a ‘Station Quarter’ scheme which will focus on delivering a new bridge over the railway line as part of a wider mixed use development containing a new station, homes and commercial space. The decision is subject to receiving the required assurances being received from the Section 151 Officer at Thurrock Council.
Capital Programme delivery update
Take a look at our update on the delivery of the Local Growth Fund (LGF) and Growing Places Fund (GPF) capital programmes.
£579m of investment to East Sussex, Essex, Kent, Medway, Southend and Thurrock
In total the SELEP Growth Deal with Government has brought £579m of investment to East Sussex, Essex, Kent, Medway, Southend and Thurrock. Over the lifetime of the Growth Deal (2015-2021) we aim to deliver 78,000 jobs and 29,000 homes across the SELEP area, with the Deal set to attract a further £960m of investment into the South East over the six year period.
Find out more here
Full Business Case
Updated Value for Money Assessment
Project Change Request