Grays growth

Background

Grays is the civic heart of Thurrock, situated on the northern bank of the mighty River Thames. Formerly a small port, with chalk quarries and brickworks, its current landscape is reflective of its natural geography created by the river and an artificial topography generated by excavation. Its heritage is fundamentally underpinned by a relationship to the River Thames which has a strong and persistent presence in the history of Grays.

It is ironic that today the Thames can be observed from the High Street, but the closer you get the less it becomes visible or accessible due to raised embankments. Connectivity to and use of the riverside asset is poor. It seems that sometime during the 20th century, possibly with the arrival of the train station, Grays turned its back on the river.

The town centre itself has reasonable transport connectivity via rail and bus, but it has lost its appeal for many who often choose to shop and access activities elsewhere. Until the 1990s, the centre remained vital and viable, but its gradual decline commenced after the opening of Lakeside Shopping Centre a few miles away. The recent pandemic has really accelerated the decline in High Street retail and has had a marked impact upon the local economy, which has too heavy reliance on a few key sectors.

Grays has become a shell of its former self. It does not live up to its true potential as a fantastic place to live, work, play and learn, making the most of its proximity to both the river and the capital, as well as playing a key role supporting the economic growth of the wider Thames Estuary.

Our residents value and want to make better use of our inherent assets, particularly the riverside, in a post-pandemic world. The town centre lacks greenery and the community wants a greener and more natural environment linked to the Thames and the wider town, for their well-being, biodiversity, air quality improvement, carbon reduction and shelter – they want to turn Grays green.

The town lacks an evening economy, despite a relatively young population. There is a need to inject diversity and activities, day and evening to reclaim and reconnect the town centre to its relevant parts and especially the riverside - its key forgotten asset. Connectivity and transformation of the riverside are key for Grays post-pandemic recovery.

The economic challenges faced by Grays need investments to diversify and adapt, taking account of what the local community wants. It is against this background that the Grays Town Board, in partnership with Thurrock Council had developed the Grays Town Investment Plan which sets out to address some of our challenges.

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