The Port of London Authority (PLA) says the Government go ahead for the new London Gateway port on the Thames is the most significant development in the Port of London in over a century.
DP World's plans for London Gateway involve a major new container terminal and the UK's largest logistics/business park ' all on a 1,500-acre brownfield, former oil refinery site, just 20 miles from London and close to the major markets in the south east of England.
Welcoming the news, PLA chairman, Simon Sherrard, said:
'I am delighted that the Government has finally given the go ahead for this vitally important project. It is set to be the biggest development in the Port of London for over a hundred years. It will enable London to regain its traditional place as the UK's leading port.
'London Gateway will give the UK the additional container handling capacity it so clearly needs, making the movement of cargoes as efficient as possible in a global world to the ultimate benefit of consumers. As a project it has strong sustainable development credentials ' bringing a brownfield site back into use and creating jobs as an integral part of the Government's landmark Thames Gateway vision.
'With our responsibilities for safety of navigation, licensing of dredging and other aspects of environmental management, we will now be taking time to study the detail of the decision and the conditions it includes. We are looking forward to working with DP World over the coming years over these and other practical aspects of the development of the London Gateway scheme.'
