The A122 (Lower Thames Crossing) Development Consent (Amendment) Order 2025

Made: 4th November 2025

Coming into force: 5th November 2025

An application has been made under paragraph 2 of Schedule 6 to the Planning Act 2008[^f00001] to the Secretary of State in accordance with the Infrastructure Planning (Changes to, and Revocation of, Development Consent Orders) Regulations 2011[^f00002] for a non-material change to the A122 (Lower Thames Crossing) Development Consent Order 2025[^f00003].

The Secretary of State, having considered the application and the responses to the publicity and consultation carried out in accordance with regulations 6 and 7 of the Infrastructure Planning (Changes to, and Revocation of, Development Consent Orders) Regulations 2011, has decided to make this Order amending the A122 (Lower Thames Crossing) Development Consent Order 2025.

The Secretary of State in exercise of the powers conferred by paragraph 2 of Schedule 6 to the Planning Act 2008, makes the following Order.

Citation and commencement

1

This Order may be cited as the A122 (Lower Thames Crossing) Development Consent (Amendment) Order 2025 and comes into force on 5th November 2025.

Amendments to the A122 (Lower Thames Crossing) Development Consent Order 2025

2

• (1) The A122 (Lower Thames Crossing) Development Consent Order 2025 is amended as follows.

• (2) In paragraph 26(4) (amendments to be made to the Code of Construction Practice and the REAC) of Part 3 (amendments to be made to the control documents) of Schedule 2, in the first row (REAC ref no. “HR013”) of Table 2, for the text in the fifth column (commitment) substitute—

Appropriate technology and infrastructure would be employed to enable, if required, the enforcement authority to enforce a 60mph speed limit in a westbound direction between junctions 26 and 27 of the M25 to ensure that there is no Adverse Effect on Integrity (“AEoI”) on Epping Forest SAC as a consequence of traffic emissions leading to increases in nitrogen deposition, NOx and/or NH3. Reasonable and appropriate funding would be provided to the highway and enforcement authority to set a 60mph limit and to undertake enforcement activities. Monitoring should commence no later than 6 months after commencement of construction of the A122 Lower Thames Crossing and remain in place for a minimum period of 4 years following commencement of operation to monitor levels of NOx, NO2 and NH3 (which can be used to determine the vehicle emission related nitrogen deposition) compared to pre-operational values. Annual reporting should be undertaken and include a review of relevant evidence, such as monitoring, traffic data and regional pollution in consultation with Natural England. The 60pmh speed limit measures are to be put in place from the commencement of operation. The Secretary of State may determine, upon receipt of a written request from National Highways that has been informed and agreed through consultation with Natural England, that such measures no longer remain required at or after the point of commencement of operation to prevent an AEoI (on the basis of pre-operation monitoring and any additional assessment undertaken by National Highways). If the outcome from monitoring and updated modelling shows relevant increases in nitrogen deposition, and/or NOx and/or NH3 which would lead to an AEoI then that speed limit control and enforcement must be in place, unless otherwise agreed with Natural England.

Signed

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport

Kayla Marks — Head of the Transport and Works Act Orders Unit — Department for Transport — 4th November 2025

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Order)

Explanatory Note

This Order amends the A122 (Lower Thames Crossing) Development Consent Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/462) (“the 2025 Order”), a development consent order under the Planning Act 2008 (“the Act”).

This Order follows an applications under paragraph 2 of Schedule 6 to the Act for a non-material change to the 2025 Order. The amendment varies the commitment in the register of environmental actions and commitments contained in the Code of Construction Practice, which provides for mitigation relating to the in-combination air quality effects on Epping Forest Special Area of Conservation along part of the M25.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 2008 c. 29. Paragraph 2 of Schedule 6 was amended by paragraph 4 of Schedule 8 to the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c. 23), by paragraph 72 of Schedule 13 and paragraph 1 of Schedule 25 to the Localism Act 2011 (c. 20), by section 28 of the Infrastructure Act 2015 (c. 7) and by section 128 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (c. 55).

[^f00002]: S.I. 2011/2055, as amended by S.I. 2012/635, S.I. 2012/2654, S.I. 2012/2732, S.I. 2013/522, S.I. 2013/755, S.I. 2015/377, S.I. 2015/760, S.I. 2015/1682, S.I. 2017/314, S.I. 2017/524, S.I. 2018/378, S.I. 2019/734, S.I. 2020/764, S.I. 2020/1534, S.I. 2021/978, S.I. 2022/634 and S.I. 2023/1071.

[^f00003]: S.I. 2025/462, corrected by S.I. 2025/1014.