Community update - February 2023

Welcome to the latest edition of our community video newsletter, presented by Aaron from our Planning and Consents team.

• How you can give your views on our planning application
• Watch a new fly-through video showing the road 15 years after opening
• Talk to us at our community events across Kent and Essex, in February
• Apply for £10,000 grant from our new Community Fund
• The first trees planted at Hole Farm Community Woodland
• Balfour Beatty awarded the Roads North of the Thames contract
• Tell us how you want to hear about our archaeological discoveries

You can watch the full film above or click on a chapter below to jump to one of the highlights.

Thanks for watching.

Register before 24 February to take part in the planning process

At the end of last year our application for a Development Consent Order was accepted by the government’s independent planning authority, the Planning Inspectorate, and it will soon go through detailed examination.

You can take part in this process and give your views on the project directly to the Planning Inspectorate, through what is known as Relevant Representations.

You can register through the Planning Inspectorate’s website until 24 February 2023.

Click to watch more in this section of the video newsletter.

Watch our new fly-through video

We’ve recently released a brand-new fly-through video of the road, 15 years after opening.

By blending 3D computer model data with real-life video footage, we can show you how the improved design will sit sensitively in the landscape. It shows how 80% of the road will be below ground level and show the scale of proposed planting and public open space, including two new public parts, seven green bridges and over one million extra trees.

Click to watch more in this section of the video newsletter.

Talk to us at new community events in February

Throughout February, we will be back on the road across Kent and Essex. This will give you an opportunity to speak to us and learn more about our planning application and how we plan to build the UK’s greenest ever road.

Click to watch more in this section of the video newsletter.

Find out more about our upcoming events.

Apply for £10,000 grant from our new Community Fund

We’re committed to supporting local communities and the environment, which is why we recently launched a new Community Fund that will support local community and environmental projects near the route of the proposed crossing.

Local groups such as charities and schools can apply for grants of up to £10,000. Applications are open until 1^st March 2023.

Click to watch more in this section of the video newsletter.

Read more on our community hub page.

First trees planted at Hole Farm woodland

Back in November, local school children and communities helped plant the first of around 14,000 trees at the Hole Farm Community Woodland. These species included Oak, Hornbeam, Hazel and Scots Pine.

Click to watch more in this section of the video newsletter.

Balfour Beatty awarded contract to build the road north of the Thames

Last year we became the UK’s first major infrastructure project to use its main works procurement process to drive carbon out of construction, and we recently announced that Balfour Beatty have been awarded the contract to build the roads north of the Thames.

We’ve awarded the contract ahead of consent being granted for the project to give Balfour Beatty as much time as possible to carry out the detailed design work and pre-construction planning that will aim to reduce the impact of construction on the local community and the environment. It will also allow them to maximise the opportunities to use innovative low carbon technologies and materials, as well as develop the local supply chain.

We look forward to introducing you to Balfour Beatty in the coming months.

Click to watch more in this section of the video newsletter.

Interested in Archaeology?

In the next few weeks our partners at MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology) will be carrying out some research into how you would like to be kept informed about the project's work to find and protect local heritage and archaeology, which would take place if the new crossing gets the green light.

They want to hear your thoughts on how local communities could benefit from engaging with archaeology and how you want to be kept informed about our work and what we discover.

Keep your eye on our social media channels and follow @MOLArchaeology for information on upcoming events and online surveys where you can share your thoughts.

For further information contact us at info@lowerthamescrossing.co.uk or by calling 0300 123 5000. You can also get the latest updates on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and our YouTube channel.