Lower Thames Crossing Development Consent Order accepted for detailed examination
(Original post of 30 November 2022 updated on 01 December 2022)
On 28 November 2022, the Government’s independent planning authority, the Planning Inspectorate, accepted National Highways application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) for detailed examination of the Lower Thames Crossing proposals. This means that the project will move onto the next stage of the process.
An explanation of what happens now is shown below –
There follows a period when representations by individuals and organisations can be made during the Examination period.
National Highways (NH) will be advertising this Relevant Representation period (at least 28 days), stating the deadline, and providing details about how to register to become an Interested Party. The public and third parties can find out about the registration period from any of the following:
The public and third parties can find out about the registration period from any of the following:
- An applicant’s newspapers advert
- An applicant’s site notice
- Information on the relevant project page of the National Infrastructure Planning website
- Via Twitter or email alert, if you have signed up for this service on the relevant project page of the National Infrastructure Planning website.
During the registration period, members of the public and third parties must fill in a Relevant Representation form in full. It is not possible to participate in this process anonymously.
If people are registering as an individual, they will then become an Interested Party. The easiest way to do this is to complete the form online via the relevant project page of the National Infrastructure Planning website.
If preferred, people can fill in a paper form obtained from the Planning Inspectorate during the registration period. However, they need to make sure there is enough time for the form to be sent to them and for them to post it back to the Planning Inspectorate, before the deadline for responding expires.
Interested Parties are invited to a Preliminary Meeting to consider how the application will be Examined. Before the Meeting, the Examining Authority will provide a draft Examination Timetable plus its initial assessment of principal issues. The Examination starts the day after the Preliminary Meeting and can last up to 6 months.
During the six month Examination, Interested Parties will be invited to attend the Hearings (Issue Specific and Open Floor), provide written responses to the Examiners Questions and written representations. There is no cross examination process in DCO Hearings and the process is focussed on the written submissions.
The Upminster and Cranham Residents’ Association will keep readers updated when the Relevant Representation period is advertised.
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