Help shape the future of Blackshots Estate

August 2023

Thurrock Council is exploring the opportunity to redevelop the Blackshots Estate in Grays and has already agreed that the tower blocks will need to be vacated.

We believe everyone should have a good quality home. Across the borough, around 1,200 new homes need to be built every year just to meet current demand.

The redevelopment of the Blackshots Estate primarily focuses on the demolition and redevelopment of three 11-storey tower blocks – Kier Hardie House, Bevan House and Morrison House – comprising of 168 homes. We will look to re-plan this area and provide lower height homes with easier access to gardens and green spaces. Brand new homes also have much better energy efficiency standards, helping to reduce fuel costs.

This programme would help to provide much needed housing in the borough, raise the standard of living alongside improving the local environment for our residents.

Image courtesy of Google Earth

What is this consultation about?

Having completed the first round of consultation, where we listened to how you feel about your neighbourhood, we have started to prepare design options on the redevelopment of the tower blocks on the estate. The next 2 consultation events and survey aims to test some of these design options, and allow you to give feedback on proposals, before we develop them further.

Our main aims on each of the 2 sites are to:

• Replace tower block homes with good quality housing

• Provide as many more additional homes for the borough as reasonable

• Provide safer, better overlooked open streets and spaces

We would like to hear your opinion on the approaches we have taken to try and achieve the above aims. All feedback received during the consultation will be considered and used to develop our redevelopment proposals and set out the commitments we will make to you in the Design Charter.

The next engagement event will be held on Wednesday 6th September 2023 from 4pm to 7pm at Civic Hall, Blackshots Lane, Grays, RM16 2JU. You will be able to meet the team and learn about the other upcoming events. At this stage of consultation, we would like to show you potential proposals for development and we will be asking:

• What are your thought on the proposed development options?

• What about King Georges Field and the open spaces could be made better?

• How could parking be better organised on the estate and surrounding streets?

• How could the burden of energy bills be eased in the new development?

• What kind of ecology and biodiversity improvements would you like to see?

• How can we make the streets and open spaces feel safer?