The Lower Thames Crossing application has 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.
Sir John Armitt, Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, said: “Improving connectivity is vital to the government’s mission of sustainable, long term economic growth. This green light for the Lower Thames Crossing is excellent news and will be welcomed not only by local drivers and communities but also by businesses across the country which depend upon reliable access to Europe, but are often frustrated by delays at the Dartford Tunnel.
“Given the scale of investment needed in the country’s strategic infrastructure over coming decades, I hope this is the first of many future strategic planning decisions which are crucial to transform the transport, energy and water networks on which the country relies.”
The Commission’s second National Infrastructure Assessment in October 2023 made a number of recommendations to government on speeding up the planning process for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs), including five-yearly reviews of national policy statements which guide planning decisions, better sharing of data on environmental data and successful mitigations, and a framework of direct benefits for local communities hosting major national infrastructure.
The government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill published earlier this month set out a range of measures designed to deliver its programme of housebuilding and infrastructure reforms through reforming the operation of the planning system, many of which align with Commission recommendations in the second Assessment.
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.
Tim Balcon, CEO of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), said: “The Lower Thames Crossing is recognised as a major driver of connectivity and growth for the South East region and today’s decision is welcome progress. Realising the ambition of the project now relies on having the skilled construction workforce in place to deliver it.
“CITB’s latest figures show that we need an extra 10,400 workers in the South East – 2,080 a year – to meet expected construction growth. Infrastructure is one of the industry areas with the highest demand for new recruits – with up to 600,000 workers to deliver the engineering and construction projects outlined in the National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline, which includes the Lower Thames Crossing.
“That is why we are investing £2.8m in developing the Infrastructure Sector Skills Plan as a tailor-made strategy to tackle this issue. Guided by insights from industry experts through the Infrastructure Sector Advisory Group, the plan will address eight key challenges – including the attraction of new entrants, quality and availability of training and support for employers, and will evolve to meet the changing skills, training and recruitment needs of the sector.”
Viki Bell, Director of Operations, CEA (Construction Equipment Association), said the green light for the Lower Thames Crossing marks a significant milestone for UK infrastructure: “At £9bn, this is a major transport scheme, and it also represents an opportunity to drive skills, innovation, and long-term investment into the construction equipment sector.
“Our members stand ready to support delivery with the machinery, technology, and expertise required for a project of this scale. What’s important now is that government moves swiftly on funding decisions to maintain industry confidence and allow delivery partners to plan ahead.
“This is also an opportunity to showcase best practices in low-carbon construction, digital site management, and safety – areas where UK suppliers are at the forefront of innovation. We hope to see strong collaboration between National Highways, contractors, and equipment providers to maximise the benefits for UK industry.”
