By rosebell
The new deadline for Government to make a decision on the Lower Thames Crossing Development Consent Order (DCO) application, appointed as 23 May 2025 by the Secretary of State for Transport, which is inorder to allowing the Government more time to consider the application further, including any decisions made as part of the spending review.
Being made by Rt Hon Louise Haigh MP, Secretary of State for Transport, this statement confirms the necessity of extending the deadline for a decision on the application by National Highways under the Planning Act 2008, for the A122 (Lower Thames Crossing) Development Consent Order.
The determined duration for making a decision on an application is within 3 months of receipt of the Examining Authority’s report, as the section 107(1) of the Planning Act 2008, says, unless the power, under section 107(3), is exercised to extend the deadline, and a Written Ministerial Statement is made to Parliament announcing the new deadline.
The date of 20 March 2024, was time of receiving the Examining Authority’s report on the Lower Thames Crossing Development Consent Order, whereas the current deadline for a decision is 4 October 2024, having been extended from 20 June 2024 by way of a Written Ministerial Statement, dated 24 May 2024.
With the aim of allowing more time for the application to be considered further, including any decisions made as part of the spending review, the deadline for the decision is to be further extended to 23 May 2025.
The decision to set a new deadline is without prejudice to the decision on whether to grant the application development consent.
