UK’s Department for Transport approves London Gateway

Approval for DP World’s London Gateway container terminal has finally been approved, the UK’s Department for Transport announced today. The decision comes after a lengthy planning application: a Harbour Empowerment Order was first applied for by P&O five years ago. Since that time the port operator, which switched to DP World after it’s P&O acquisition, has waited on a slow and much criticised planning process. A public enquiry was held in 2003 with an inspectors report released in 2004. Then, in 2005 The Department for Transport issued "minded to approve" letters without indication how much longer the delay would be. Last year saw a further “minded to” letter. Transport Minister Gillian Merron said that planning permission has also been granted for the adjacent logistics centre and Business Park on the Shellhaven site, in the Thames estuary. "London Gateway will be able to provide much needed capacity for handling the UK's growing international trade in containers.” Approval is linked to highway improvements and a travel plan to manage traffic has also been agreed on. Once complete, the London Gateway project will provide up to seven container berths as well as a ro-ro facility.