Blackshots Towers Stage 2 Consultation

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Consultation has concluded

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?


Get involved

The consultation process will run from July until October. We are keen to discuss our ideas with you, so we are planning four themed events across the consultation stage. This will be an opportunity for you talk to members of the project team.


Event 1: Meet the team – tell us about the Place - Completed

4pm to 7pm, Wednesday 19 July 2023

Location: Civic Hall, Blackshots Lane, Grays, RM16 2JU


Event 2: Estate Action Day: What might be possible? - Completed

11am to 1pm, Wednesday 9 August 2023

Location: King George’s Field, below Bevan House and Morrison House, Blackshots, Grays


Event 3: Homes and Place

4pm to 7pm, Wednesday 6 September 2023

Location: Civic Hall, Blackshots Lane, Grays, RM16 2JU


Event 4: Exhibition of Proposal

4pm to 7pm, Thursday 12 October 2023

Location: Civic Hall, Blackshots Lane, Grays, RM16 2JU


Get in touch

Give your thoughts

If you have any questions about the proposals or would like to find out more about this process, please get in touch as we will be happy to help.
Designer: Glyn Tully
Email: glyn.tully@levittbernstein.co.uk
Phone: +44 20 3823 2013 (9am-4pm Mon-Fri)

Independent Tenants & Leaseholder Advisor: Newman Francis
Freephone: 0800 644 6040
main number: 020 8536 1436
Email: Blackshots@newmanfrancis.org

John Morris
Phone: 07709 091 919
Email: john@newmanfrancis.org

Susan Shepherd
Phone: 07592 472 464
Email: susan@newmanfrancis.org


Thurrock Council Decant Officer:
(For Blackshots tower blocks residents being moving to a new property)
Eamond Mohammed
Email: Blackshots.renew@thurrock.gov.uk
Phone: 07879 841 721

Thurrock Council Homeownership Team
Email: homeownership@thurrock.gov.uk

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?


Get involved

The consultation process will run from July until October. We are keen to discuss our ideas with you, so we are planning four themed events across the consultation stage. This will be an opportunity for you talk to members of the project team.


Event 1: Meet the team – tell us about the Place - Completed

4pm to 7pm, Wednesday 19 July 2023

Location: Civic Hall, Blackshots Lane, Grays, RM16 2JU


Event 2: Estate Action Day: What might be possible? - Completed

11am to 1pm, Wednesday 9 August 2023

Location: King George’s Field, below Bevan House and Morrison House, Blackshots, Grays


Event 3: Homes and Place

4pm to 7pm, Wednesday 6 September 2023

Location: Civic Hall, Blackshots Lane, Grays, RM16 2JU


Event 4: Exhibition of Proposal

4pm to 7pm, Thursday 12 October 2023

Location: Civic Hall, Blackshots Lane, Grays, RM16 2JU


Get in touch

Give your thoughts

If you have any questions about the proposals or would like to find out more about this process, please get in touch as we will be happy to help.
Designer: Glyn Tully
Email: glyn.tully@levittbernstein.co.uk
Phone: +44 20 3823 2013 (9am-4pm Mon-Fri)

Independent Tenants & Leaseholder Advisor: Newman Francis
Freephone: 0800 644 6040
main number: 020 8536 1436
Email: Blackshots@newmanfrancis.org

John Morris
Phone: 07709 091 919
Email: john@newmanfrancis.org

Susan Shepherd
Phone: 07592 472 464
Email: susan@newmanfrancis.org


Thurrock Council Decant Officer:
(For Blackshots tower blocks residents being moving to a new property)
Eamond Mohammed
Email: Blackshots.renew@thurrock.gov.uk
Phone: 07879 841 721

Thurrock Council Homeownership Team
Email: homeownership@thurrock.gov.uk
Consultation has concluded