Major projects and developments

Last updated on: 19-Jul-2021

6. Lower Thames Crossing

Community Impacts Consultation

Highways England has launched a fresh consultation on the project which includes the latest plans as well as more information on construction impacts, ward by ward impact summaries and a ‘You said, we did’ document. The consultation runs until 8 September 2021, and responses should be made direct to Highways England. The Development Consent Order application is currently expected to be resubmitted to the Planning Inspectorate in the late autumn.

Public information events are scheduled as follows:

Cascades Leisure Centre, Thong Lane, Gravesend, DA12 4LG (inside)

  • Thursday 22 July, 2pm - 8pm
  • Friday 3 September, 2pm - 8pm

Chalk Parish Hall car park, Pirrip Close, Gravesend, DA12 2ND (outside)

  • Wednesday 4 August, 12pm - 5pm

Shorne Woods Country Park, Brewers Road, Shorne, DA12 3HX (outside)

  • Sunday 8 August, 10am - 4pm

Gravesend Town Centre, King Street, Gravesend, DA12 2XX (outside)

  • Saturday 14 August, 10am - 4pm
  • Saturday 21 August, 10am - 4pm

Development Consent Order Application submitted and withdrawn

On 23 October 2020 Highways England submitted its Development Consent Order application for the Lower Thames Crossing to the Planning Inspectorate.

On 6 November the Borough Council submitted to the Planning Inspectorate its views on the Adequacy of Consultation, which is about whether the correct processes have been followed and adequate information made available.

The Council’s response (with appendices):

Note this includes views made to the Borough Council, but their inclusion does not necessarily imply agreement with them

On 20 November Highways England withdrew their application in response to comment made by the Planning Inspectorate.  See our news page for a joint Gravesham and Thurrock press release.

For further information see the National Planning Infrastructure website:

Highways England is expecting to resubmit the application in the New Year.

Below is summary information on the previous stages in the process after the Secretary of State for Transport’s preferred route announcement on 12 April 2017.

Design Refinement Consultation

Highways England held a Design Refinement Consultation on this scheme from 14 July to 12 August 2020.

Details can be found on the Highways England website. Due to COVID-19 restrictions this was an on-line consultation only.

The Borough Council prepared and submitted its own response which can be read below:

GBC Design Refinement Consultation response

Supplementary Consultation

Highways England held a Supplementary Consultation on this scheme from 29 January to 2 April 2020.

The Borough Councils response is below:

Interim Report and Information Event

Highways England have issued an interim report summarising some of the findings of the Statutory Consultation they held last autumn to which they had 28,493 responses

A Project Update report and a separate Executive summary of the Statutory consultation can be found on the Highways England Project Update page.

The submission of the Development Consent Order (DCO – formal application for permission) has been put back to Summer 2020.

Ground investigations are taking place down the east side of Gravesend (including in the river) and along the A2 towards Strood. Details can be found on the Highways England ground investigation page of their website.

Statutory Consultation

Highways England held a Statutory Consultation on its more detailed proposals and the Preliminary Environmental Impact Report from October to December 2018.

The Borough Council’s response was approved by Council on 18 December 2018

View the report

As a result of discussions with Councillors the recommendations were amended and minor changes made to the report for submission, the documents submitted can be found below:

Lower Thames Crossing preferred route

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