Hammers Update. June 2025

Thurrock Hammers Limited Director Mark Sexton and Brian Connolly attended the Developer Forum organised by Thurrock Council’s Local Plan management team on Tuesday 17 June 2025.

The aim of the meeting was to provide land promoters, property developers, agents and community stakeholders (like us) with information about the Local Plan process and the progress being made by the Council on its Local Plan, which is designed to set out Thurrock’s land use framework for the next 20 years.

This meeting also gave us an opportunity to discuss our case with a number of Council Officers.

Naturally, Hammers fans and speedway supporters alike will be specifically interested in what’s happening at the Arena Essex Raceway and, during discussions after the meeting, Mark was told that the current owner of the Raceway (Global Infrastructure UK Limited) is on the verge of submitting a planning application for the development of the Raceway site.

Mark commented: “This news clearly moves things along and when it’s made we will fully analyse the planning application to ensure that national and local policies for the protection of sporting facilities are applied.

Our land use case has always been made based on planning policies and frameworks and will continue to do so. We will provide more information as it becomes available.”

We fully appreciate that the process continues to take time, but once again, our thanks for all of your continued support as we continue our campaign to return speedway to Thurrock.