Grays, Essex Planning Applications
Recent planning applications near Grays, Essex.
Essex · England · Town
About Grays
Grays, or Grays Thurrock, is the largest town and administrative centre of the borough of Thurrock in Essex, situated on the north bank of the River Thames, about 20 miles east of central London and 2 miles from the M25 motorway. The town boasts a diverse economy tied to Port of London industries, local offices, and the nearby Lakeside Shopping Centre. As of the 2021 census, Grays had a population of 44,345, making it a significant area for planning applications and development opportunities.
Population: 44,341 (2021) · Elevation: 8m
District: Thurrock
Enter a postcode to search for planning applications near Grays.
Town Insights
Property Prices
Average property sale price: £358,530 (based on 50 recent transactions from HM Land Registry).
Area Information
- Admin district: Thurrock
- Parliamentary constituency: Thurrock
- LSOA: Thurrock 016B
Crime Statistics
0 crimes reported in 2026-02.
Flood Risk
No active flood warnings near Grays.
Keyword Scorecard
Planning constraint analysis based on the last 24 months of applications near Grays.
- Ecology & Wildlife Constraints (keywords: bats, bat survey, bat roost, great crested newt, GCN...)
- Trees & Landscape (keywords: tree preservation order, TPO, arboricultural, tree survey, root protection area...)
- Flood & Drainage (keywords: flood zone 2, flood zone 3, flood risk assessment, FRA, surface water...)
- Heritage & Conservation (keywords: listed building, grade II, grade II*, grade I, conservation area...)
- Green Belt (keywords: green belt, inappropriate development, very special circumstances, openness)
- Highways & Access (keywords: visibility splays, highway authority objection, access arrangement, parking provision, transport statement...)
- Refusal & Risk Indicators (keywords: refusal, delegated refusal, appeal dismissed, overdevelopment, character and appearance...)
- Planning Process & Appeals (keywords: appeal lodged, appeal allowed, appeal dismissed, public inquiry, inspector)
Planning Activity Summary
Approval rates, average decision times, and application type distribution for Grays based on the last 24 months of planning data.
Nearby Applications
7 planning applications found near Grays.
- - 13 Finchley Road Grays Essex RM17 6RG
Single storey rear extension.
Status: Undecided | Type: Full | Council: Thurrock | Date: 2026-02-13
View full details - - Former 76 High Street Grays Essex RM17 6HU
Application for the variation of condition no 2 (plans) and removal of no 3 (noise) of planning permission ref. 23/00026/FUL Single storey infill plant buildings to ground floor and install generator
Status: Permitted | Type: Conditions | Council: Thurrock | Date: 2025-12-24
View full details - - Arthur Toft House George Crooks House And Lionel Oxley House New Road Grays Essex
Application for the variation of condition nos 2 (Approved Plans) and 3 (Materials) of planning permission ref. 20/00617/TBC [Replacement of the external wall coverings, replacement of windows, replac
Status: Permitted | Type: Conditions | Council: Thurrock | Date: 2025-11-03
View full details - - Davall House Greenwood House And Butler House Argent Street Grays Essex
Application for the variation of condition nos 2 (Approved Plans) and 3 (Materials) of planning permission ref 20/00409/TBC [Replacement of the external wall coverings, replacement of windows, replace
Status: Permitted | Type: Conditions | Council: Thurrock | Date: 2025-11-03
View full details - - 6 Charles Street Grays Essex RM17 6DX
New single storey front extension with pitched roof (porch) with front and rear roof lights.
Status: Permitted | Type: Full | Council: Thurrock | Date: 2025-09-08
View full details - - Tilbury Green Power Port Of Tilbury Tilbury Freeport Tilbury Essex RM18 7NU
Application to discharge Condition 45 (Contamination) of planning permission ref 12.04.09.04 266C (Construction and operation of a biomass and energy from waste fuelled electricity generating station)
Status: Permitted | Type: Conditions | Council: Thurrock | Date: 2025-02-03
View full details - - Nationwide Building Society 19 High Street Grays Essex RM17 6NB
- Replace 1no. Projecting signage with new 600mm. - Projecting sign to be relocated. - Replace 1no. Fascia and 1no. Logo with 1no. New blue fascia & 1no. New 385mm logo height. Logo size reduced to co
Status: Permitted | Type: Advertising | Council: Thurrock | Date: 2023-11-10
View full details
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A brief summary of Grays in Essex
Grays, or Grays Thurrock, is the largest town and administrative centre of the borough of Thurrock in Essex, situated on the north bank of the River Thames, about 20 miles east of central London and 2 miles from the M25 motorway. The town boasts a diverse economy tied to Port of London industries, local offices, and the nearby Lakeside Shopping Centre. As of the 2021 census, Grays had a population of 44,345, making it a significant area for planning applications and development opportunities. The Town has a population of approximately 44,341 (2021 estimate). It sits within the Thurrock district.
Grays sits at an elevation of 8 metres above sea level. The surrounding landscape and character of the area play an important role in how planning applications are assessed by the local authority.
Property prices in Grays show an average sale price of £358,530, based on 50 recent transactions recorded by HM Land Registry.
There were no crimes reported in the immediate area during the most recent reporting period. This makes Grays a particularly low-crime area.
Ecology & Nature Designations
The area around Grays includes 3 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI): Globe Pit SSSI, Grays Thurrock Chalk Pit SSSI, Swanscombe Peninsula SSSI. These designations may affect planning decisions, as proposals near protected sites require environmental impact assessment and may face additional restrictions.
For anyone interested in property development or monitoring local planning decisions, Grays planning applications can be searched by entering a local postcode above. Results include full application details, decision status, and the ability to track applications over time and set planning alerts to help you monitor and review pending planning applications.
Planning Activity in Grays
In the last 24 months, 40 planning applications were submitted near Grays. Of these, 64% were approved, with an average decision time of 72 days.
This is below the national average of approximately 87%, which may reflect stricter local policies, sensitivity of the area, or higher levels of speculative applications. Pre-application advice is particularly worthwhile near Grays.
The average decision period of 72 days exceeds the 8-week target for minor applications but falls within the 13-week target for major schemes. Applicants should plan for approximately 11 weeks from submission to decision.
The most common application types near Grays were full planning applications (17), discharge of conditions (12), outline applications (7). Full planning applications account for 43% of all submissions, covering new builds, change of use, and works that go beyond permitted development rights.
In terms of development scale, 2 medium-scale applications, 38 smaller schemes were submitted.
4 planning appeals were lodged, of which 2 were allowed and 2 were dismissed (50% success rate). This relatively high appeal success rate suggests that the local authority may be refusing some applications that the Planning Inspectorate considers acceptable.
Application Outcomes
- Approved: 14 applications
- Refused: 8 applications
- Awaiting decision: 18 applications
Nearby Towns
Explore planning applications in nearby areas:
- Little Thurrock planning applications
- South Stifford planning applications
- North Stifford planning applications
- Northfleet planning applications
- Chafford Hundred planning applications
- Orsett Heath planning applications
- Rosherville planning applications
- Swanscombe planning applications
Related Planning Guides
- What Is Planning Permission in the UK? — Planning permission is the formal approval you need from your local council before making certain changes to a building or piece of land.
- What Is Permitted Development? — Permitted development rights allow certain building works and changes of use without the need to apply for planning permission.
- How Long Does Planning Permission Take? — Typical timelines for planning permission decisions in the UK, from submission to approval, and what can cause delays.