What happens next
A decision on the application for a Development Consent Order for Silvertown Tunnel was taken on 10 May 2018 and has now been issued.
The period for legal challenge is defined in s118 of the Planning Act 2008. Further information about legal challenge can be found in the letter sent to all Interested Parties accompanying the Secretary of State’s decision and statement of reasons.
If you have any queries about the process please email the Planning Inspectorate at [email protected] or telephone the helpline on 0303 444 5000.
Timeline (52 items)

Five years after the Secretary of State’s decision is issued, all remaining published documents associated with an application are removed from the National Infrastructure Planning website, with the exception of the following which are retained in line with our document retention policy:
- The Secretary of State’s decision notice and statement of reasons;
- If made, the Development Consent Order;
- The Examining Authority’s Recommendation Report and associated appendices;
- Any material/non-material change decisions;
- Any correction notices; and
- All section 51 advice issued in respect of an application.
As such, the purpose of this banner is to highlight that we will shortly remove all documents, except those listed above.

On 21 February 2019, the Secretary of State for Transport issued a Correction Order and Correction Notice to make corrections to the Silvertown Tunnel Order 2018 as made on 10 May 2018.

The Secretary of State for Transport has granted development consent for this application. Please refer to the following decision documentation:
Secretary of State for Transport’s decision letter and statement of reasons
Development Consent Order as made by the Secretary of State for Transport
Examining Authority’s Recommendation Report issued to the Secretary of State for Transport
Post-Examination correspondence received by the Planning Inspectorate


Responses to the Secretary of State’s consultation letter of 26 February have been published.

Responses to the Secretary of State’s consultation letter of 12 February have been published.

A letter has been issued on behalf of the Secretary of State requesting comments from interested parties.
This is in response to the applicant’s Updated Air Quality Assessment and accompanying drawings.
The deadline for responses is Monday 19 March 2018.

A letter has been issued on behalf of the Secretary of State requesting further consultation/response from both the Transport for the London (the Applicant) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
This is in response to a letter from the applicant dated 31 January 2018.
The deadline for responses is Monday 26 February 2018.

A letter of response on behalf of the Department for Transport to the Applicant has been published.

A Fourth Consultation Letter on behalf of the Department for Transport to the applicant has been published.

A Letter and Written Ministerial Statement on behalf of the SoS to extend the deadline for the decision to 10 May 2018 (an extension of 6 months) has been published.

The deadline for a decision from the Department for Transport has now been extended to 10 November 2017.

A third consultation letter on behalf of the Department for Transport to the applicant, London Borough of Southwark, Friends of the Earth and other interested parties has been published.

A second consultation letter on behalf of the Department for Transport to the applicant has been published.

A consultation letter on behalf of the Department for Transport to the applicant, London Borough of Newham, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the Health and Safety Executive has been republished to include the plan referred to in the HSE letter at Annex A.



Action Points from the Issue Specific Hearing and Open Floor Hearing held on 28 March 2017 have been published.
Audio Recordings from the Hearings on 28 and 29 March have also been published.

Agendas for the hearings on 28 and 29 March 2017 have been published.
The Examining Authority’s revised draft Development Consent Order and Report on the Implications for European Sites (RIES) have been published.

A Notification of procedural decisions regarding the applicant’s proposed changes to the application, notification of hearings and amendments to the timetable for the Examination has been published
The Examining Authority Second Written Questions have also been published.

A cover letter and addendum for the request for a further non-material change to the proposed Silvertown Tunnel has been received from the Applicant.

Documents received for Deadline 3 have been published.
The Examination Library has also been updated.

Action points and audio files from the hearings 17-20 January 2017 have been published.

A covering letter and request for a non-material change to the proposed Silvertown Tunnel has been received from the Applicant.
A decision on whether to accept the change request will be made following the hearings 17-20 January 2017.
The non-material change as set out in the above documents will be discussed at the hearing due to be held on 20 January 2017.

The agendas for the Hearings and Accompanied Site Inspection taking place between 17 – 20 January 2017 have been published.
Directions to the CentrEd room at the ExCel have also been published.

A notification of hearings and site visit in January has been published.
The exam library has been updated with documents for Deadline 2.

The Action Points for the Accompanied Site Inspection (06.12.2016), Issue Specific Hearing (07.12.2016) and Compulsory Acquisition Hearing (08.12.2016) have now been published, including the audio recordings for ISH and CAH.

The following documents have been published:
Itinerary and Map outlining the Accompanied Site Inspection on 6 December 2016
Agenda for the Issue Specific Hearing on Traffic and Transport Modelling on 7 December 2016
Agenda for the Compulsory Acquisition Hearing on 8 December 2016

Documents received for Deadline 1 have been published.
Reference numbers have been assigned to the documents in the Examination Library.

A Rule 17 Letter has been published notifying of a request for further information.

The Examination Timetable (Rule 8 letter) has been sent to Interested Parties
Procedural decision following Preliminary Meeting

- Preliminary Meeting takes place
- Examination begins

Agendas for the Issue Specific Hearing on the Draft Development Consent Order and Open Floor Hearings have been published.
Directions to the CentrEd room at the ExCel have been published.
Responses to the Rule 6 have also been published.

The notification of Preliminary Meeting (rule 6 letter) has been sent Read the letter
The letter also includes the draft timetable for examination of the application and statement of principal issues.
Directions to the CentrEd room at the ExCel.

The notification of Preliminary Meeting (rule 6 letter) has been sent Read the letter
The letter also includes the draft timetable for examination of the application and statement of principal issues.

The notification of Preliminary Meeting (Rule 6 letter) has been sent Read the letter
The letter also includes the draft Examination Timetable and Initial Assessment of Principal Issues.





This application was received by the Planning Inspectorate on 3 May 2016.
The applicant has agreed that all application documents can be published as soon as practicable upon submission to help everyone become familiar with the detail of what is being proposed in this application.
This provision is solely for the purpose of allowing more time to all those who wish to become familiar with the detail of what is being proposed ahead of the relevant representation period without lengthening the overall time required for the application process. There will be no opportunity at this stage to make comments on the application. However, if the application is accepted anyone interested in the application will be able to register and express their views during the relevant representation stage and the subsequent examination.

This application was received by the Planning Inspectorate on 3 May 2016.
The applicant has agreed that all application documents can be published as soon as practicable to help everyone become familiar with the detail of what is being proposed in this application. The Planning Inspectorate will therefore make the application documents available as soon as practicable.
This provision is solely for the purpose of allowing more time to all those who wish to become familiar with the detail of what is being proposed ahead of the relevant representation period without lengthening the overall time required for the application process. There will be no opportunity at this stage to make comments on the application. However, if the application is accepted anyone interested in the application will be able to register and express their views during the relevant representation stage and the subsequent examination.
