Petition: Save our green space! Stop the sale of land at Meesons Lane, Grays!!

Petition to:

WE SUPPORT THURROCK’S FINANCIAL RECOVERY — BUT NOT AT THE COST OF OUR CHILDREN’S GREEN FUTURE! PETITION TO THURROCK COUNCIL 4.33 ACRES OF GREEN SPACE AT RISK — ONCE IT’S GONE, IT’S GONE!

We are calling on Thurrock Council to protect approximately 4.33 acres of council-owned amenity land off Meesons Lane, Grays, next to Belmont Castle Academy, from potential sale and development. We fully recognise and respect the serious financial challenges Thurrock Council has faced. We understand that difficult decisions are necessary to balance budgets, protect essential services and secure the borough’s future. But should short-term financial pressures lead to the permanent loss of valuable public green space? We believe there must be a better balance between financial recovery and protecting our communities for future generations.

A ONE-OFF PAYMENT OR A LIFETIME OF LOST GREEN SPACE? We acknowledge that this land may have financial value to Thurrock Council and that selling assets may form part of its wider financial recovery strategy. However, selling publicly owned land provides a one-off financial receipt, while the loss of that land from public ownership may be permanent. We respectfully ask Thurrock Council: Would the financial benefit of selling this land truly outweigh the long-term environmental, educational and community value of retaining it? Before making any decision, residents deserve to understand:

How much money could realistically be raised from selling the land?
How significant would that amount be in addressing the Council’s wider financial challenges?
What environmental and community benefits could be lost?
Could alternative options provide financial value without permanently disposing of the site?
Has the true long-term cost of losing this green buffer been considered?

A short-term financial gain should not automatically outweigh a long-term community asset. Responsible financial management isn’t just about what can be sold today. It’s also about what we choose to protect for tomorrow.

WHY THIS LAND MATTERS: Protecting Our Children’s Environment The land sits alongside Belmont Castle Academy. Any proposed development should be carefully considered for its potential effects on children’s surroundings, traffic, road safety, noise and the school environment.

Protecting Our Green Spaces Green spaces contribute to biodiversity, support the local environment and provide valuable breathing space between developed areas. Once land is sold and built upon, restoring it to public green space may become impossible.

Protecting Our Neighbourhoods The Council’s own documentation identifies the site as a green buffer between the school, neighbouring residential land and commercial storage uses. This separation has real community value, even if it does not produce an income.

Respecting the Council’s Financial Position This campaign is not about criticising Thurrock Council for facing difficult financial choices. We recognise the pressures on its finances and the responsibility to protect vital public services. We want to work constructively with the Council to find a balanced solution — not simply oppose financial recovery. We believe protecting the long-term public interest should remain central to those decisions.

WHAT WE ARE ASKING THURROCK COUNCIL TO DO We respectfully request that Thurrock Council:

Pause any proposed sale of the Meesons Lane land until proper public consultation has taken place.
Engage directly with residents, parents and Belmont Castle Academy about the future of the site.
Publish the financial justification for any proposed disposal, including the expected sale proceeds and how they would contribute to the Council’s financial recovery.
Assess the long-term environmental, educational and community impacts of losing this green space.
Investigate financially responsible alternatives to outright disposal, including options that could preserve the land’s environmental and community benefits.
Put the long-term interests of Thurrock residents and future generations at the heart of any decision.

OUR MESSAGE IS SIMPLE We understand Thurrock Council needs to make difficult financial decisions. We respect the challenges involved. But our community should not permanently lose valuable public green space without a transparent, compelling justification and a genuine opportunity to be heard. This land may not currently have an active Council use, but that does not mean it has no value. Its role as a green buffer, its location alongside a school and its potential environmental importance deserve serious consideration. We support financial responsibility. We support protecting essential public services. And we support protecting the green spaces that future generations will inherit. These priorities should go hand in hand.

SIGN THE PETITION — SAVE MEESONS LANE GREEN SPACE!

Every signature sends a clear and respectful message: “THURROCK’S FINANCIAL FUTURE MATTERS — BUT SO DOES OUR COMMUNITY’S FUTURE!” We urge everyone who cares about Grays, local children, our environment and responsible decision-making to sign and share this petition. Let’s work together to protect what cannot easily be replaced.

Location: West Side of Meesons Lane, Grays

Area: Approximately 4.33 acres

Ward: Grays Riverside

Title Number: EX459764

SIGN IT. SHARE IT. PROTECT IT.

This petition calls for protection and consultation concerning a potential land sale. The Council property information identifies the site but does not itself confirm that a disposal has been approved.

To Sign This Petition Online

If you have not previously registered on Consult Thurrock:

please register your details, note you will receive a verification email with activation link to your nominated email account.
once you have activated your registration, please sign in and provide the details required to sign this petition online.

If you have previously registered on Consult Thurrock, please sign in and sign this petition online.

This petition closes on 21 October 2026