There are plans to resurrect a football stadium which was once home to the Thurrock Football Club and build a major new automotive business close by.

Ambitious plans for the vacant stadium on Ship Lane in Aveley have been sent to the council and outline an extensive refurbishment including building a new all-weather pitch for community football use and work to clear land at the rear of the site for new sports facilities.

Nearby, applicant Group 1 Automotive hopes to build a car inspection centre that will feature 1,224 parking spaces and facilities for preparing cars for delivery at dealerships. Group 1 claims this will lead to the creation of up to 30 new jobs in Thurrock.

While the plans are likely to attract more vehicles into the area including HGV deliveries, Group 1 have promised a redesign of an existing junction onto Southway – a road off Ship Lane.

Councillor Luke Spillman, leader of Thurrock Independents and Aveley ward councillor, showed little enthusiasm for the proposals.

He said: “Aveley has got a terrible problem with HGVs going through it, if they can find a solution to that then great although I expect it will require a lot of funding.

“A huge amount of people are going to be looking at this very carefully.

“I do welcome the potential for additional employment but it is also going to come with the related pollution as well. Pollution levels in that areas are already shocking and causing a lot of concern among people in Aveley, so this is not a development I have immediate enthusiasm for.”

He added that no one would be disappointed by additional sports facilities but questioned “at what cost”.

The stadium was left vacant after Thurrock Football Club resigned from the Isthmain League in March last year. Group 1 has said that once it has been redeveloped they will “gift the stadium and associated car park to the local community of Thurrock”.

Furthermore, there are plans to hand over land to the rear of the existing stadium which can be used as additional sports facilities.

There is no confirmation on who will be given the land but planning documents note that “significant discussions” have taken place with the council’s leisure team, Sport England and Essex FA.

Planning documents further detail that much of the redevelopment will be on green belt land but the developers believe there are "very special circumstances" that make this acceptable, including "considerable benefit to Thurrock Council".