A guide to our Development Consent Order application
In November 2022, the Planning Inspectorate confirmed that it had accepted our Development Consent Order application for examination and we are currently in the recommendation and decision stage. Find out more about the process of seeking permission to build and operate the Lower Thames Crossing.
All of our application documents can be viewed on the Planning Inspectorate's website. We understand that you may not have time to read through them all so below we have provided links to the documents covering the areas we are asked about most often.
We submitted some additional documents to the Planning Inspectorate in December 2022. Read the Overview Timeline update on 22 December 2022 to find out more information.
The Introduction to the Application provides an overview of the proposals and a summary of the documents submitted as part of the application.
Project Design Report - Part C: Design Rationale
This document covers the project vision and approach to design across the route.
Project Design Report – Part D: General Design South of the River
This document covers the general preliminary design for the route south of the river.
Project Design Report – Part D: General Design North of the River – Tilbury to the A13 Junction
This document covers the general preliminary design for the route north of the river from Tilbury to the A13 junction.
Project Design Report - Part D: General Design North of the River - North of the A13 Junction to the M25
This document covers the general preliminary design for the route north of the river from north of the A13 junction to the M25.
Design Principles
This document sets out the principles that underpin the design of the Lower Thames Crossing.
General Arrangement Plans: Volume A (key)
General Arrangement Plans: Volume B
General Arrangement Plans: Volume C
These documents contain maps showing the design of the Lower Thames Crossing.
Temporary Works Plans: Volume A (key)
Temporary Works Plans: Volume B
Temporary Works Plans: Volume C
These documents contain maps showing the temporary works during the construction of the Lower Thames Crossing.
Land Plans: Volume A (key)
Land Plans: Volume B
Land Plans: Volume C
These documents contain maps showing the land required for the Lower Thames Crossing.
Community Impacts Report
This document provides a summary of impacts by ward. The information is based on the Environmental Statement and the Transport Assessment, together with mitigation and monitoring information documented in the Register of Environmental Actions and Commitments within the Code of Construction Practice (CoCP).
Project Design Report – Part E: Design for Walkers, Cyclists and Horse Riders
This document covers the design of routes for walkers, cyclists and horse riders (WCH) across the route of the Lower Thames Crossing.
Health and Equalities Impact Assessment
This document gives an assessment of compliance with legislation set out under the Equality Act 2010 and associated Public Sector Equality Act and provides an assessment of the Lower Thames Crossing's impact on human health.
Sustainability Statement
A summary of where the preliminary design for the Lower Thames Crossing has met the aims of National Highways’ Sustainable Development Strategy across a range of economic, social and environmental subjects.
Environmental Statement: Population and Human Health Impacts
This document presents an assessment of the likely significant effects of the Lower Thames Crossing on population and human health during construction and operation. It considers potential effects on private property and housing, community land and assets, development land and businesses, agricultural land holdings, walkers, cyclists and horse riders (WCH) and also considers effects on human health.
Environment Statement: Non-Technical Summary
This document provides a summary of the main findings of the Environmental Statement in non-technical language.
Environmental Statement Summary
A summary of all likely significant effects of the Lower Thames Crossing reported in the topic chapters of the Environmental Statement.
Environmental Statement: Climate
This chapter of the Environmental Statement presents an assessment of the likely significant effects of the Lower Thames Crossing on climate during construction and operation.
Environmental Statement: Air Quality
This chapter of the Environmental Statement presents the assessment of the likely significant effects of the Lower Thames Crossing on local air quality. The assessment considers local air quality impacts on sensitive receptors at human exposure locations and on designated habitats for ecology during construction and operation.
Carbon and Energy Management Plan
This document sets out how we will minimise our carbon impact during construction and operation.
Traffic Forecasts Non-Technical Summary
This document provides a summary of the transport modelling undertaken and the forecasted traffic flows in non-technical language. It presents the key findings of the performance of the road network in the future with (the ‘do something’ scenario) and without (the ‘do nothing’) the Lower Thames Crossing.
Road User Charging Statement
This document explains the purpose of road user charging on the Lower Thames Crossing, why the proposed road user charging scheme has been selected and how it will be implemented, operated and enforced.
Transport Assessment
This document assesses the impact of the Lower Thames Crossing during both construction and operation on the strategic and local highway network, and local sustainable modes of transport.
Wider Network Impacts Management and Monitoring Plan
This document sets out our approach on the forecast wider network impacts of the Lower Thames Crossing. This is based on the findings from the traffic modelling presented in the Transport Assessment.
