The direction (1-page / 25KB PDF) has been sent to the City of London, the London Borough of Lewisham and the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It directs the three local planning authorities not to grant planning permission for developments within specified zones of land without his specific authorisation.
The zones of land are referenced in the direction as "Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore" in the City of London; "Earl Pumping Station" in the London Borough of Lewisham; and "Greenwich Pumping Station" in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The sites have been identified as relevant to the route of the Thames Tideway Tunnel which is being proposed by Thames Water Utilities Limited (TWUL).
The tunnel project will upgrade London's sewer system by creating a 15 mile 'super sewer' running from west London following the route of the Thames to Limehouse in east London and continuing to Abbey Mills Pumping Station near Stratford. Here it will be connected to the Lee Tunnel, which will transfer the sewage to Beckton Sewage Treatment Works.
TWUL consider that the project is necessary to respond to problems with the volume and frequency of untreated sewage currently flowing into the river Thames. The Government designated the tunnel project a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project in June this year.
Following recent consultation, construction proposals for the project are due to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for scrutiny in early 2013. If the Secretary of State grants development consent for the project it can progress to the construction phase, which is currently scheduled to get under way in 2015/16. The project is expected to complete in 2022/23.
