The long-awaited Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) is to become the first major building project to be overseen by an environmental regulator, in a bid to cut ‘green tape’.
The £10.2bn scheme, which will include a 2.6-mile twin-bore tunnel under the River Thames, linking Kent and Essex, was first proposed in 2009 but had been delayed due to opposition from environmental campaigners.
Environment minister Steve Reed announced that the LTC would be the first project of its kind to be led by Natural England, which will oversee all environmental safeguarding work.
Other interested parties such as the Environment Agency will provide advice, he said.
Appointing a lead environmental regulator was one of 29 recommendations in the independent Corry review of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra’s) regulatory landscape. In April, it concluded that the current system is outdated, inconsistent, and hinders both economic growth and nature-recovery.
Reed told Construction News: “Britain’s planning rules are so complicated, they’ve blocked development of new homes and businesses.
“Under the government’s Plan for Change, a new approach will see a lead environmental regulator appointed to smooth the system and keep projects firmly on track.
“This means faster transport, energy and housing developments nationwide that will be better for the economy and properly protect the environment.”
LTC executive director Matt Palmer said the move would help the project “move at pace”.
“As one of the Britain’s most important economic infrastructure projects, we are delighted to be the first to work with a lead environmental regulator,” he said.
“Driving economic growth and enhancing nature are at the heart of the LTC. As we gear up to start construction, this new approach will help us to move at pace, while ensuring we protect the natural environment and meet our environmental commitments.”
It is hoped the new role will slash delays in the planning system and reduce costs.
Marian Spain, chief executive of Natural England, said: “Infrastructure, housing and nature are not competing interests. Sustainable development and nature recovery must go hand in hand, and urgent action is needed to restore our depleted nature and build desperately needed homes and infrastructure.
“That’s why we’re proud to be the lead environmental regulator delivering the LTC. This model brings developers and all the regulators together to agree how to avoid environmental harm and plan opportunities for nature recovery, so streamlining the approvals process.”
The LTC announcement comes after chancellor Rachel Reeves indicated she planned to further strip back environmental protections in an effort to boost the economy by speeding up infrastructure projects.
Earlier this year, Reeves announced measures to stop issues such as the presence of protected species like bats being allowed to delay critical infrastructure.
Now, The Times says she has tasked officials with looking at stricter reforms ahead of the Autumn Statement that would make it far harder for nature-based concerns to stop development.
These could include altering parts of the European environmental rules, reducing the UK’s list of protected species and scrapping the need for developers to prove that projects would have no impact on protected natural sites.
Reeves is also looking at tougher measures for judicial reviews to stop key projects being delayed by legal challenges and only giving campaigners one chance to appeal.
In April, the government announced measures in response to a wide-ranging review of environmental regulations to “accelerate the delivery” of projects after HS2 contractors were forced to create a controversial £120m bat tunnel to stop the mammals from colliding with trains.
The introduction of a lead environment regulator follows the Corry report’s call for a single lead regulator for all major projects.
This aims to stop the “merry-go-round of developers seeking planning approvals from multiple authorities who often disagree with each other”, Defra said.
The government had earlier indicated this could include the LTC, as well as Heathrow expansion plans.
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Nicola Harley