The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has today granted development consent for the project. For further information please refer to the following documents:

Secretary of State’s Decision Letter (PDF, 453 KB)
Planning Inspectorate Decision Cover Letter (PDF, 115 KB)
Development Consent Order as Made (PDF, 2 MB)
Examining Authority’s Recommendation Report (PDF, 6 MB)
Habitats Regulations Assessment (PDF, 858 KB)
Regulation 31 Notice (PDF, 102 KB)

The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has sought further information (PDF, 136KB) from the Applicant, and Ministry of Justice, in relation to the Southampton to London Pipeline Project,

The deadline for responses is 23.59 on Monday 28 September 2020.

Comments on the responses to the Secretary of State’s recent consultation letter have been published.

Responses to the Secretary of State’s recent consultation have been published.

Comments in response to these submissions must be received by 17 September 2020.

The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has requested comments from the Applicant and specified Interested Parties, which are due by Wednesday 19 August 2020.

Prior to the close of the Examination, the Examining Authority exercised its discretion to accept Additional Submissions from:

• Royal Mail
• Network Rail
• The Applicant (Esso Petroleum Company, Limited).

Notification of completion of the Examining Authority’s Examination Letter (Section 99) has been published.

These have been added to the Examination Library.

IMPORTANT: As a result of ongoing Government guidance relating to COVID-19 the Planning Inspectorate is seeking to ensure that all Parties are notified of key developments on projects, in a timely manner. In order to help achieve this, and to minimise any delays which could arise if the postal service is affected, it would be extremely helpful if registered Parties that have not already done so could supply us with a contact e-mail address as soon as possible (details in the contact information heading of the project page).

Please be assured that this information will be managed in line with our Privacy Notice.

The Examining Authority has exercised its discretion to accept Additional Submissions from the following:

• Thrings LLP on behalf of Jonathan Paul Wiggins and Susan Margaret Wiggins;
• Sarah Walker on behalf of Windlesham Parish Council;
• Rt Hon. Michael Gove MP;
• Carter Jonas on behalf of Spelthorne Borough Council.

These have been added to the Examination Library.

IMPORTANT: As a result of ongoing Government guidance relating to COVID-19 the Planning Inspectorate is seeking to ensure that all Parties are notified of key developments on projects, in a timely manner. In order to help achieve this, and to minimise any delays which could arise if the postal service is affected, it would be extremely helpful if registered Parties that have not already done so could supply us with a contact e-mail address as soon as possible (details in the contact information heading of the project page).

Please be assured that this information will be managed in line with our Privacy Notice.

The Examining Authority has exercised its discretion to accept the following late Deadline 7 submissions:

CLH Pipeline System: Withdrawal of objections
Rushmoor Borough Council: Documents not previously included with Deadline 7 submission

These have been added to the Examination Library.

IMPORTANT: As a result of ongoing Government guidance relating to COVID-19 the Planning Inspectorate is seeking to ensure that all Parties are notified of key developments on projects, in a timely manner. In order to help achieve this, and to minimise any delays which could arise if the postal service is affected, it would be extremely helpful if registered Parties that have not already done so could supply us with a contact e-mail address as soon as possible (details in the contact information heading of the project page).

Please be assured that this information will be managed in line with our Privacy Notice.

Deadline 7 submissions have now been published. The updated Examination Library (EL) will be published as soon as practicable.

IMPORTANT: As a result of ongoing Government guidance relating to COVID-19 the Planning Inspectorate is seeking to ensure that all Parties are notified of key developments on projects, in a timely manner. In order to help achieve this, and to minimise any delays which could arise if the postal service is affected, it would be extremely helpful if registered Parties that have not already done so could supply us with a contact e-mail address as soon as possible (details in the contact information heading of the project page).

Please be assured that this information will be managed in line with our Privacy Notice.

IMPORTANT: As a result of ongoing Government guidance relating to COVID-19 the Planning Inspectorate is seeking to ensure that all Parties are notified of key developments on projects, in a timely manner. In order to help achieve this, and to minimise any delays which could arise if the postal service is affected, it would be extremely helpful if registered Parties that have not already done so could supply us with a contact e-mail address as soon as possible (details in the contact information heading of the project page).

Please be assured that this information will be managed in line with our Privacy Notice.

The following documents have been published and added to the Examination Library:

1) Natural England’s Deadline 6a response;
2) A note of the Unaccompanied Site Inspection undertaken by the Examining Authority on 19 March 2020.

In order to comply with the most recent government advice regarding social distancing, the Planning Inspectorate has advised that where possible all Accompanied Site Inspections (ASIs) should be done on an unaccompanied basis or where arrangements can be made to allow the Inspectors access to the site in a way that avoids social contact. As a result, the ASI that was due to be undertaken tomorrow at St James Senior Boys’ School will now be undertaken on an unaccompanied basis with the Examining Authority (ExA) being escorted, whilst on the school grounds, by a member of the school staff, solely for the purposes of safeguarding.

Please therefore note that all Interested Parties that had previously confirmed attendance should not attend.

The ExA will publish a detailed Unaccompanied Site Inspection note of the visit as soon as practicable after the event.

We have received submissions from the Applicant and Surrey County Council pointing out features that they wish for the ExA to observe. These have been treated as Additional Submissions and published on the project page. The ExA will take these submissions into account when carrying out the visit.

The itinerary for the Accompanied Site Inspection 2 (ASI2), scheduled to take place on Thursday 19 March 2020, has been published. It has also been added to the Examination Library.

IMPORTANT: In the light of the current public health situation surrounding COVID-19, if you are planning to attend the Accompanied Site Inspection (ASI) on Thursday 19 March 2020 please check this website regularly and before travelling to the event. If there are any changes or cancellations required to the ASI this page will be updated as soon as possible. Advice is available and you are requested to please take careful note of it.

The following documents have been published and added to the Examination Library:

Report on the Implications for European Sites
Examining Authority’s Consultation Draft Development Consent Order (DCO)
Rule 17 request to Esso Petroleum Company, Limited

IMPORTANT: In the light of the current public health situation surrounding COVID-19, if you are planning to attend the Accompanied Site Inspection (ASI) on Thursday 19 March 2020 please check this website regularly and before travelling to the event. If there are any changes or cancellations required to the ASI this page will be updated as soon as possible. Advice is available and you are requested to please take careful note of it.

The Examining Authority has issued a letter notifying Interested Parties of the following:

• A request for further information from Natural England
• A Procedural Decision relating to the Applicant’s change request made at deadline 4
• A Procedural Decision which amends the Examination Timetable by introducing deadline 6a (19 March 2020)
• A Procedural Decision which requests comments on submission submitted at deadline 6a by deadline 7
• A further Accompanied Site Inspection (19 March 2020)

The Deadline 6 Submissions have now been published and the Examination Library has been updated.

Following the Hearings held during the week commencing 24 February 2020, the documents listed below have been published and added to the Examination Library:

– Audio recording of Compulsory Acquisition Hearing 2 (CAH2), held on Monday 24 February 2020;
– Action points from CAH2;
– Audio recording of Issue Specific Hearing 4 (ISH4) into the draft Development Consent Order, held on Tuesday 25 February 2020;
– Action points from ISH4;
– A note of the Examining Authority’s Unaccompanied Site Inspection, conducted on the afternoon of Tuesday 25 February 2020;
– Audio recording of Issue Specific Hearing 5 (ISH5) into Environmental Matters, held on Wednesday 26 February 2020;
– Action points from ISH5.

The Examining Authority has exercised its discretion to accept an additional submission from Surrey County Council.

The Examination Library has been updated.

Barton Willmore has formally withdrawn the objections it previously raised on behalf of its client St Edward Homes Ltd.

The Examination Library has been updated.

The Examining Authority has exercised its discretion to accept a late Deadline 5 submission (Ground Level Tree Assessment) from Rushmoor Borough Council and an Additional Submission from CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP on behalf of SGN. These have been added to the Examination Library.

The Examining Authority has exercised its discretion to accept additional submissions from Heronscourt & Colville Gardens Residents Associations and Rushmoor Borough Council.

Thrings LLP has formally withdrawn the objections it previously raised on behalf of its clients Mr M Morton.

These have been added to the Examination Library.

The following documents have today been published and added to the Examination Library:

• The agendas for the hearings, scheduled to take place during the week commencing 24 February 2020, have been published.
• The Deadline 5 submissions have now been published.

We have been advised by the Applicant that the car parking at the Village Hotel is managed by a third party and if someone forgets to register their car with the venue, the venue has no power to waive a fine. There will be a free parking code for delegates to use. The Applicant will have someone in reception to provide this number as attendees register their car number plate each day. It will be a different number each day. There is a machine in the hotel entrance or delegates can download the JUSTPARK app and use the code for free parking

The agendas for the hearings, scheduled to take place during the week commencing 24 February 2020, have been published.

We have been advised by the Applicant that the car parking at the Village Hotel is managed by a third party and if someone forgets to register their car with the venue, the venue has no power to waive a fine. There will be a free parking code for delegates to use. The Applicant will have someone in reception to provide this number as attendees register their car number plate each day. It will be a different number each day. There is a machine in the hotel entrance or delegates can download the JUSTPARK app and use the code for free parking.

The request for a Closed Hearing has now been withdrawn.

It has been brought to our attention that some links contained within the Applicant’s Deadline 3 submission (REP3017) are not accurate. The Applicant has now corrected this and the previous document has been superseded by additional submission AS-073.

This has been added to the Examination Library.

The Examining Authority has issued a procedural decision relating to Works Nos 6B, 6C and 7A and a request for Further Information from Esso Petroleum Company, Limited relating to Valve 3, Valve 9 and Abbey Rangers FC, Ashford.

The Examining Authority has exercised its discretion to accept a late Deadline 4 submission from The Heronscourt and Colville Gardens Residents Associations.
This has been added to the Examination Library.

Deadline 4 submissions have now been published and the Examination Library has been updated.

Thrings LLP has formally withdrawn the objections it previously raised on behalf of its clients Froyle Land Limited.

The following documents have today been published and added to the Examination Library:

• The notification letter for the hearings taking place between 24 and 27 February 2020;
• A request for further information relating to Works Nos 6A, 6B, 6C, 7A and 7B on the Applicant’s recent request for a change to the Proposal, has been issued to the Applicant, Surrey County Council, Hampshire County Council, Surrey County Council Highways Authority, Hampshire County Council Highways Authority;  and
• A Notice issued by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)of an application for a Closed Hearing under section 95A of the Planning Act 2008.
• The Examining Authority’s Further Written Questions.

The Deadline 3 Submissions have been published.

These include Thrings LLP’s formal withdrawals of objections previously raised on behalf of its clients James Antony Reed, Lady Janet Diones Glover and Merrick Hugh Denton-Thompson and Joan Louise Denton-Thompson.

The Examining Authority has today written to Natural England, Sport England and Hart District Council requesting further information under Rule 17 of the Infrastructure Planning (Examination Procedure) Rules 2010 (as amended) by Deadline 4 (30 January 2020). The published letter has been added to the Examination Library.

Further to the Hearings held during the weeks commencing 25 November 2019 and 2 December 2019, the following documents have now been published:

Audio recordings of the Open Floor hearing, the Compulsory Acquisition Hearing and the Issue Specific Hearing.
Note of Unaccompanied Site Inspection undertaken on 26 November 2019;
Action points arising from ISH1;
Action points arising from CAH1;
Note of Unaccompanied Site Inspection undertaken on 2 December 2019;
Action points arising from ISH2;
Action points arising from ISH3.

These have been added to the Examination Library.

Covering emails and letters for deadline submissions are not normally published as a matter of course. However the Examining Authority has taken the view that in this instance, given the content, that an email from Marc Turner at Natural England should be published so that Interested Parties are aware of the matter in advance of the Issue Specific Hearings timetabled for 3 and 4 December 2019. Please note that it is necessary to redact the second paragraph as it contains personal sensitive information.

It has been brought to our attention that the incorrect version of the Statement of Common Ground between the Applicant and Rushmoor Borough Council was submitted at Deadline 2. The correct version has now been submitted and has replaced the previous version.

The Examining Authority has exercised its discretion to accept an additional submission from Tweseldown Race Course.

The note of the Unaccompanied Site Inspection 2 (USI2) held on the 26 November 2019 has been published.

The agendas for the Environmental Issue Specific Hearings scheduled to be held on 3 December and 4 December 2019 have now been published.

The Examination Authority has accepted a late Deadline 2 submission from Mr Stephen English.

The agendas for the Issue Specific Hearing on the Draft Development Consent Order and Compulsory Acquisition Hearing, both taking place on Wednesday 27 November 2019, have been published and added to the Examination Library.

The Deadline 2 Submissions have been published.

The itinerary for the Accompanied Site Inspection, scheduled to take place on Tuesday 26 November 2019, has been published. It has also been added to the Examination Library.

It has come to our attention that a Deadline 1 submission from Surrey Heath Borough Council does not appear to have been published with the remainder of the Deadline 1 submissions. We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused. It has been added to the Examination Library.

The Deadline 1 Submissions have been published.

The notification letter for the hearings and accompanied site inspection taking place between 25 and 28 November 2019 and between 2 December and 4 December has now been published.

The Recording of the Preliminary Meeting has been published.

The Examining Authority has exercised its discretion to accept further additional submissions from the Health and Safety Executive and Abbey Rangers Football Club.

These documents has been added to the Examination Library.

Preliminary Meeting takes place

Please note that the venue for the Preliminary Meeting on Wednesday 9 October 2019 is Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre (access via Gate A), Transport Road, Farnborough, GU14 6XE.

The following documents have been published:

An updated seating plan
Additional Submission from Spelthorne Borough Council, accepted at the discretion of the Examining Authority
Notice of change of the Examining Authority

These documents have been added to the Examination Library.

The Examining Authority carried out an Unaccompanied Site Inspection on Wednesday 2 October. A note of their Inspection has been published and added to the Examination Library.

In order to assist the smooth running of the Preliminary Meeting, a Seating Plan has been published. This allocates seats to those that have notified the Inspectorate of their intention to attend the meeting. Unreserved seating will be available for those that have not confirmed their attendance.

Additionally, the Examining Authority has exercised its discretion to accept an Additional Submission from Leo Doherty MP on behalf of Nick Jarman.

These have been added to the Examination Library.

The Applicant has submitted a response to the Examining Authority’s letter of 5 September 2019. In addition, following the finalisation of the route in the Hinton Ampner area, updated documents have been submitted. The Examining Authority has exercised its discretion to accept these documents into the Examination.

Updated draft Development Consent Order (clean version)
Updated draft Development Consent Order (tracked changes)
DCO Explanatory Memorandum (clean version)
DCO Explanatory Memorandum (tracked changes)
Updated Land Plans (1 of 4)
Updated Land Plans (2 of 4)
Updated Land Plans (3 of 4)
Updated Land Plans (4 of 4)
Updated Works Plans (1 of 3)
Updated Works Plans (2 of 3)
Updated Works Plans (3 of 3)
Updated Special Category Land Plans (1 of 3)
Updated Special Category Land Plans (2 of 3)
Updated Special Category Land Plans (3 of 3)
Updated Crown Land Plans
Updated Access and Public Rights of Way Plans (1 of 3)
Updated Access and Public Rights of Way Plans (2 of 3)
Updated Access and Public Rights of Way Plans (3 of 3)
Updated General Arrangement Plans (1 of 3)
Updated General Arrangement Plans (2 of 3)
Updated General Arrangement Plans (3 of 3)

These documents have all been added to the Examination Library.

The Examining Authority has exercised its decision to accept further additional submissions.

The Examining Authority has exercised its decision to accept further additional submissions.

The Examining Authority has exercised its discretion to accept an Additional Submission from the Applicant in relation to the routing of the proposed scheme in the Hinton Ampner area. This has been added to the Examination Library.

The Examining Authority has exercised their discretion and accepted Additional Submissions from the following Parties:
– The Applicant
– Canal and River Trust
– NHS Hounslow Clinical Commissioning Group
– Forestry Commission
– MP Michael Gove
– Natural England
– Southern Electric Power Distribution
– Southern Gas Network
– UK Power Networks
– Kaye Squires

The Examining Authority has been appointed and has exercised its discretion to accept Additional Submissions from the Applicant into the Examination. These are:

• Response to s51 Advice – Cover Letter
• Navigation Document
• Land Plans 1 of 4
• Land Plans 2 of 4
• Land Plans 3 of 4
• Land Plans 4 of 4
• Works Plans 1 of 3
• Works Plans 2 of 3
• Works Plans 3 of 3
• Special Category Land Plans 1 of 3
• Statement of Reasons
• Book of Reference
• Consultation Report Appendix 5 Preferred Route Consultation
• Consultation Report
• Existing Pipeline Plans with DCO Limits

These documents have been added to the Examination Library and have been clearly marked where they supersede documents that have previously been submitted.

This application was received by the Planning Inspectorate on 14 May 2019.

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.