What happens next
A decision on the application for a Development Consent Order for M4 Junctions 3 to 12 Smart Motorway was taken on 02 September 2016 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 (44 items)

Representations received in response to the application for a non-material change to the M4 Junctions 3-12 Smart Motorway Development Consent Order have been published.

An application for a non-material change to the M4 Junctions 3 to 12 Smart Motorway Development Consent Order has been made by National Highways. If you wish to make a representation, this should be emailed to [email protected]
The deadline for receipt of representations has been extended to 28 June 2022.

An application for a non-material change to the M4 Junctions 3 to 12 Smart Motorway Development Consent Order has been made by National Highways. If you wish to make a representation, this should be emailed to [email protected]
The deadline for receipt of representations is 3rd June 2022.

National Highways have submitted a Non Material Change Request to the Department for Transport for the project M4 Junctions 3 to 12 Smart Motorway, documents will be available to view on the project webpage soon.

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 report and recommendations to the Secretary of State for Transport
• Post-examination correspondence received by the Planning Inspectorate
• Post-recommendation correspondence sent and received by the Department for Transport



The Examining Authority has issued a request for further information. Questions and requests are brought to the attention of specific parties, but any other interested party may also respond if they wish.

A rule 17 request for further information has been made to the Department for Transport.

The Examining Authority (ExA) has issued its draft Development Consent Order (DCO). Comments on this iteration of the Order are invited from interested parties to Deadline VIII in the examination timetable (29 February 2016).
The ExA’s draft DCO is based upon an updated draft DCO requested from the applicant at the issue specific hearing on Friday 12 February 2016, and submitted to the examination on Monday 15 February 2016.

An addendum, setting out detailed questions to the applicant in respect of traffic forecasting, has been added to the agenda for the issue specific hearing dealing with matters relating to the environment being held on 10 and 11 February 2016.

Agendas for the forthcoming hearings on 10, 11 and 12 February 2016 were published on Friday 29 January 2016:
– Issue specific hearing dealing with matters relating to the environment (10.00am 10 and 11 February 2016)
– Issue specific hearing dealing with matters relating to the draft Development Consent Order (10.00am 12 February 2016)
– Compulsory acquisition hearing (12 noon 12 February 2016)

The itinerary for the second accompanied site inspection to be held on 9 February 2016 has now been published.

Notification of various hearings and a site inspection in the company of interested parties to be held in February 2016 has been issued by the Examining Authority.

Submissions for Deadline IV – 26 November 2015 have now been published. They include:
– Written summaries of oral submissions put at any hearings held between 16 and 20 November 2015
– Comments on any further information requested by the ExA and received to Deadline III
– Any further information requested by the ExA

Audio recordings of the hearings held between 16 and 20 November 2015 have now been published.

Agendas for the forthcoming November hearings being held at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel, Heathrow have now been published.
– Issue specific hearing on matters relating to the environment (10.00am 17 November 2015)
– Issue specific hearing on matters relating to road safety (2.00pm 18 November 2015)
– Issue specific hearing on matters relating to the draft Development Consent Order (10.00am 19 November 2015)
– Compulsory acquisition hearing (2.00pm 19 November 2015)

Submissions for Deadline III – 5 November 2015 have now been published and include:
– Comments on Written Representations
– Comments on Local Impact Reports
– Comments on responses to ExA’s first written questions
– Updated Statements of Common Ground
– Applicant’s revised draft Development Consent Order and associated documents
– Applicant’s table setting out progress on Compulsory Acquisition negotiations
– Responses to the ExA’s Rule 17 letter issued 17 October 2015

A notification has today been issued informing parties that on behalf of the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government the decision has been made that the application should now be examined by a panel of three Examining Inspectors.

The itinerary for the accompanied site inspection to be held on 10, 11 and 12 November 2015 has now been published:
– Day 1 Itinerary – Junctions 12 to 8/9
– Day 2 Itinerary – Junctions 5 to 3
– Day 3 Itinerary – Junctions 8/9 to 5

Notification of various hearings and a site inspection in the company of interested parties to be held in November 2015 has been issued by the Examining Authority.

Submissions for Deadline II – 8 October 2015 have now been published and include:
– Written Representations
– Responses to the ExA’s first written questions
– Local Impact Reports (LIR)
– Statements of Common Ground (SoCG)
– Information requested by the ExA
An additional submission has also been published.

The following documents have been published:
– Submissions for Deadline I – 2 October 2015
– Additional submission

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

The following documents have been published:
– Preliminary Meeting audio recording
– Preliminary Meeting note
– Additional submissions

- Preliminary Meeting takes place
- Examination begins

The applicant’s draft itinerary for the accompanied site inspection to be held between 10 and 12 November 2015 has been published. Comments from interested parties about this itinerary are requested by the Examining Authority before 12 noon on 2 October 2015.

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.

The following documents have now been published:
– Rule 4 Appointment of the Examining Authority
– Additional Submissions



Please be aware that we experienced technical problems on 13 and 14 June that may have prevented you from accessing project information and registering as an interested party. These problems have now been rectified and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.



This application was received by the Planning Inspectorate on 30 March 2015.
The application documents will be made available if the application is accepted for examination.
It is for the applicant to decide whether or not application documents can be published upon submission (see DCLG pre-application guidance)
