London Gateway Port Receives Final Approval

by Robin Pilgrim, LawAndTax-News.com, London

31 May 2007

UK Transport Minister, Gillian Merron on Wednesday gave final approval to the proposed London Gateway Port at Shellhaven, Thurrock, in the Thames estuary.

The London Gateway port, when fully developed, will comprise up to seven container vessel berths and a ro-ro facility along 2.7km of quayside on the site of the former Shell oil refinery at Shellhaven in the borough of Thurrock, Essex.

The Department for Communities and Local Government additionally granted planning permission for the adjacent London Gateway logistics and commercial centre and Business Park on the Shellhaven site.

Commenting on the decision, Ms Merron announced that:

"London Gateway will be able to provide much needed capacity for handling the UK's growing international trade in containers."

She added:

"This substantial development has the potential to provide many new jobs in the Thames Gateway Growth Area - already one of the Government's priority growth areas in England - including a possible 1,900 jobs which the promoters forecast for the port alone."

"It has taken time to finalise this decision. But it was right to consider carefully, and make appropriate provision for, the significant impacts that this major development will have in the growth area."

"This outcome reflects the hard work by the promoters, the local authorities, transport bodies, environmental organisations and others to reach agreement on ways to mitigate the impacts of the development."

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