Ahead of a crucial planning decision the leader of Thurrock’s Labour Party has hit out at claims that a £10million plan to rebuild council offices will help to regenerate Grays.

Labour leader Jane Pothecary slammed members of Thurrock’s cabinet for pressing ahead with the scheme under the pretext that it will kick start the regeneration of Grays and be inspirational to developers who wish to invest in the area.

Her comments came ahead of a planning committee meeting tonight that will see councillors scrutinising the plans for a second time after planning permission was refused at the end of August.

“At no point has the council or the Conservative leadership provided any explanation of how the civic offices rebuild links to the overall regeneration of Grays,” said the Labour leader, who also represents the Grays Riverside ward.

“The pivotal aspect for Gray’s regeneration is more likely to be the underpass and the redevelopment of the area around the train station and the High Street around Crown Road.

“These projects existed well before the idea of building a new council chamber and have no dependency on it. To suggest otherwise is patently false. The idea that developers will be inspired by a shiny new council office on the south side of the railway to invest money in the town centre north of the railway, is wishful thinking at best.”

During a cabinet meeting held last week, Conservative Councillor Mark Coxshall, who oversees regeneration, called the project “critical for Grays” and promised it would be the start of “building a new Grays for the 21st century”.

Among the benefits discussed by the cabinet was the opportunity to build 80 new homes and to attract investment from businesses. It was also claimed that the new building would save money as it would cheaper to run, while also costing less that a major refurbishment of the existing offices.

Mr Coxshall accused rival councillors of turning the scheme into “political football”. He suggested that a portion of £47.5million in Government funding that the council has been invited to bid for could be used on the scheme to help “allay concerns”.

But Ms Pothecary dismissed the suggestion, claiming the money is for regeneration projects and the Government is unlikely to see a new municipal building as part of a regeneration scheme.

She added: “It would be a gross misuse of the money, which should go on stimulating business, leisure, culture and retail opportunities in Grays.”

The civic offices project has been controversial since it was revealed almost 12 months ago. The Conservative administration has continually promised opposition councillors and residents that the development will result in a range of benefits for the community, but they have struggled to provide detail.

Meanwhile, opposition councillors have taken issue with the plan at every turn, criticising the cost, the demolition of four independent businesses, the destruction of a park dedicated to D-Day planners and questioning the need for new offices.