London, Multiple Planning Notices

national highways

Section 56 Planning Act 2008
Regulation 9 of The Infrastructure Planning
(Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009
Regulation 16 of The Infrastructure Planning
(Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017
Notice of Acceptance of an Application for a Development Consent Order
A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening scheme

Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of State has accepted an application by National Highways Company Limited of Bridge House, 1 Walnut Tree Close, Guildford, GU1 4LZ ("the Applicant") for a Development Consent Order ("DCO") under the Planning Act 2008 ("the Application"). The Application was submitted by National Highways to the Secretary of State c/o the Planning Inspectorate ("the Inspectorate") on 15 August 2022 and was accepted for examination on 12 September 2022. The reference number applied to the Application by the Inspectorate is TR010060.

Summary of the Application
The DCO would authorise a nationally significant infrastructure project ("NSIP") for the alteration of an existing highway. The Application proposes the widening of the existing A12 in Essex to three lanes throughout in each direction between junctions 19 (Boreham Interchange) and 25 (Marks Tey), where it is not already three lanes. This would mainly involve online widening of the existing carriageway, together with new offline highway created between junctions 22 and 23 (Rivenhall End Bypass) and between junctions 24 and 25 (Kelvedon to Marks Tey). It would be accompanied by junction improvements (junctions 19 and 25), construction of new junctions catering for traffic movements both north and southbound (new junctions 21 and 22 at Hatfield Peverel and 24 at Kelvedon), and removal of existing junctions 20a, 20b and 23.

The proposals include the diversion and alteration of a high pressure gas main, east of Witham, that is an NSIP in its own right.

The DCO would authorise the compulsory acquisition of land, interests in land and rights over land, and the powers to use land permanently and temporarily for the construction, operation and maintenance of the scheme.

The DCO would make provision for several associated and ancillary matters, including the following:
• Improvements to existing local roads, including Kelvedon Road, Inworth;
• Drainage and attenuation ponds;
• New bridges over the A12;
• Improvements to the cycling footpath and bridleway network;
• Detrunking of sections of the existing A12 at Rivenhall End and between Kelvedon and Marks Tey;
• Alteration, creation, extinguishment or suspension of highways;
• Creation, stopping up and alteration of accesses to highways;
• Traffic regulation measures; diversion and alteration of existing above ground cables;
• Removal, disposal, replacement or re-siting of pipes, cables, conduits and apparatus;
• Removal of trees, hedgerows and vegetation;
• Operation and management of the A12;
• Discharge of waters into inland waters or underground strata;
• Creation of borrow pits to provide aggregates for constructing the scheme;
• Disapplication of byelaws and local legislation; and
• Acquisition and use of open space land and provision of replacement land.

Environmental Impact Assessment
The scheme is Environmental Impact Assessment development ("EIA development") as defined by The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment)
Regulations 2017. The Application is therefore accompanied by an Environmental Statement.

Copies of Application Documents
The application form and accompanying application documents including plans, maps and the Environment Statement are available for inspection and download free of charge on the relevant project webpage of the Planning Inspectorate's National Infrastructure Planning website: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/eastern/a12-chelmsford-to-a120-widening-scheme/?ipcsection=docs under the documents tab from the 12/09/2022.

Copies of the application form and accompanying application documents, plans, maps and the Environmental Statement are available for inspection free of charge from 12/09/2022 until 4/11/2022 at the following website:
https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/eastern/a12-chelmsford-to-a120-widening-scheme/

An electronic copy of the application documents can be supplied free of charge on a USB memory stick. A paper copy of the application documents can also be supplied, but there will be a reasonable charge for paper copies to cover the cost of printing, packaging and postage up to a charge of £2000 for a complete set of documents.

Please contact National Highways via the following contact details if you have any enquiries about any of the application documents or to request a copy of the application documents:

Post: A12 Project Team, National Highways, Woodlands, Manton Lane, Bedford,
Bedfordshire, MK41 7LW

Email: A12chelmsfordA120wide@nationalhighways.co.uk

Telephone: 0300 123 5000

Making a relevant representation on the Application

Any person may make a relevant representation on the Application to the Secretary of State (i.e.: giving notice of any interest in or objection to the Application). Any relevant representation relating to the Application must be submitted on a registration form and give the grounds on which it is made. The Inspectorate has issued detailed advice on registering as an interested party and making a relevant representation to which you are advised to have regard. This Advice Note (8.2 - How to Register to Participate in an Examination) is published on the National Infrastructure Planning website under 'Legislation and Advice' and can be found at: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/legislation-and-advice/advice-notes/

The period for making a relevant representation starts on 22 September 2022 and will end at 11.59pm on 4 November 2022. Please note that any submitted representations to the Inspectorate will be published on the National Infrastructure Planning website for the Application.

The Registration and Relevant Representation form will be made available by the Inspectorate once the registration/relevant representation period has opened on the Inspectorate's project web page: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/eastern/a12-chelmsford-to-a120-widening-scheme/

Alternatively, you can request a hard copy of the registration/relevant representation form by telephoning 0303 444 5000 quoting the name of the Application and the Inspectorate's reference number TR010060. The completed form must be received by the deadline for relevant representations. A completed hard copy form to be submitted to the Inspectorate should be sent to:
The Planning Inspectorate Major Applications & Plans 3D Temple Quay House
Temple Quay, BRISTOL BS1 6PN