Pitching In Isthmian League North side Grays Athletic have received permission to redevelop Ship Lane.
The Essex outfit have confirmed planning permission can now begin at the stadium in West Thurrock, which was home for Thurrock FC until they were dissolved in 2018.
Step 4 Grays haven’t had a home of their own since losing the tenure of the Recreation Ground in 2010. They have shared with East Thurrock United, Aveley and Tilbury since.
In July 2023 their application for Ship Lane to be their new home was approved. Thanks to partners Group 1 Automotive Ltd, this latest announcement moves them a step closer to their own stadium for the first time in 14 years.
It will also be the first time they’ve owned their own ground since formation in 1890.
Club Chairman Lee Vehit told the official club website:
“This is a fantastic day for sport in Thurrock, as well as one that secures the future of Grays Athletic.
“Our club is first and foremost a community club and it is our clear ambition to make Ship Lane the most welcoming of venues for all local people – men and women, boys and girls, young and old, including representatives of all sections of our local area.
“But first we have a huge job to do, to get Ship Lane safe and operational. The ground has laid dormant for the past six years, since Thurrock FC folded. And we know there is much work to do. But our army of Blues volunteers can’t wait to get started.
“This is a club with a great history and now with the brightest of futures.”
