Issued by: Planning Inspectorate

The Lower Thames Crossing application has today been granted development consent by the Secretary of State for Transport.

The Lower Thames Crossing will be a new road crossing connecting Kent, Thurrock and Essex. Approximately 14.5 miles (23km) in length, it will connect to the existing road network from the A2/M2 to the M25 with two tunnels (one southbound and one northbound) running beneath the River Thames.

The application was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration by National Highways on 31 October 2022 and accepted for Examination on 28 November 2022.

Following an Examination during which the public, Statutory Consultees and Interested Parties were given the opportunity to give evidence to the Examining Authority, recommendations were made to the Secretary of State on 20 March 2024.

This is the 56th transport application out of 151 applications examined to date and was again completed by the Planning Inspectorate within the statutory timescale laid down in the Planning Act 2008.

Local communities continue to be given the opportunity of being involved in the examination of projects that may affect them. Local people, the local authority and other Interested Parties were able to participate in this six-month Examination.

The Examining Authority listened and gave full consideration to all local views and the evidence gathered during the Examination before making its recommendation to the Secretary of State.

The decision, the recommendation made by the Examining Authority to the Secretary of State for Transport and the evidence considered by the Examining Authority in reaching its recommendation are publicly available on the project pages of the National Infrastructure Planning website (https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/TR010032).

Journalists wanting further information should contact the Planning Inspectorate Press Office, on 0303 444 5004 or 0303 444 5005 or email:

Press.office@planninginspectorate.gov.uk

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