National Highways are inviting views on the Lower Thames Crossing, a proposed new motorway connecting Essex and Kent through a tunnel beneath the River Thames to provide additional road capacity. A Local Refinement consultation has been launched following several previous consultations. This precedes the expected submission of a Development Consent Order application for the scheme. This consultation includes several technical refinements to the project, some of which directly impact on infrastructure or land within Brentwood borough. In addition to the ongoing discussion taking place with National Highways regarding outstanding issues impacting the borough, this report sets out a proposed response to the local refinements.

Members thanked Phil Drane and the team for all the work in preparing the response letter. 

After a full discussion, Cllr Hossack MOVED and Cllr Poppy SECONDED the recommendations in the report. A vote was taken and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY.

Members are asked to:

R1. Approve the response to the Lower Thames Crossing Local Refinement Consultation, as set out in Appendix A.

Reasons for Recommendation

It is recommended that the issues set out in Appendix A be issued in response to the Lower Thames Crossing Community Impacts Consultation. The council has engaged with National Highways on the Lower Thames Crossing project to date. It is proposed that issues raised in previous consultation responses are maintained where relevant and/or unresolved.