2022 LTC DCO application

The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) have today (Mon 28th Nov 2022) announced that the 2022 LTC DCO application has been accepted for examination.

Obviously this is not the outcome we had hoped for, especially as there was so much evidence on inadequacy of consultation, but the bar for National Highways (and other DCO applicants) is sadly very low. 

You can now read the Adequacy of Consultation representations, including the TCAG representation.

PINS have issued NH with advice on some inadequacies of the DCO application that they have advised should be addressed before thing progress much further.

It is important to note that the decision today is purely to accept the application to be progressed through the DCO examination process, it does not necessarily mean that permission will be granted.

The next step will be for the Planning Inspectorate to allocate the inspectors for the examination.  Also they will soon announce when they start accepting registrations for Interested Parties.  It will be essential that anyone who wishes to take part in the DCO process register as an Interested Party.

If you haven’t already signed up for LTC DCO updates on the PINS website, then please do so, to be amongst the first to hear when the Interested Party registrations are being accepted.

We will have more info on our website about registering as an Interested Party soon, but the thing to remember is that unless you are registered you won’t be able to participate.  So, if there is any chance you may wish to take part, be sure to register and reserve your right to take part.

Remember that the application documents have been published on the PINS website, so if you haven’t already started you can start wading through the approx 63,000 pages of documents to assess the information available.

 

 

Related

2022 TCAG Inadequacies of LTC Consultation representation – click here

LTC DCO Process – click here

LTC DCO application accepted – Thurrock Council’s view – click here

Thurrock Council notes on participating in DCO process – click here