Southampton to London Pipeline Project granted development consent

Development consent has been given for the Southampton to London Pipeline Project, which aims to replace 90km of Esso Petroleum Company Limited’s 105km aviation fuel pipeline that runs from Fawley Refinery near Southampton to Esso’s West London Terminal Storage Facility in Hounslow.

The application was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate by Esso Petroleum Company Ltd on 14 May 2019 and accepted for Examination on 11 June 2019. Following an Examination during which the Applicant, Statutory Consultees and Interested Parties were given the opportunity to provide evidence to the Examining Authority, a Recommendation was made to the Secretary of State on 7 July 2020. The Planning Inspectorate’s Chief Executive, Sarah Richards said:

This is the 95th Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project and 59th Energy project to have been examined and decided within the timescales laid down in the Planning Act 2008. The Planning Inspectorate is committed to giving local communities the opportunity of being involved in the Examination of projects that may affect them. Local people, the Local Authorities and other Interested Parties were able to participate in a 6-month long Examination. The Examining Authority listened and gave full consideration to local views before making their Recommendation.

The Decision, the Recommendation made by the Examining Authority to the Secretary of State and the evidence considered by the Examining Authority in reaching its Recommendation is publicly available on the National Infrastructure Planning website

ENDS

Journalists wanting further information should contact the Planning Inspectorate Press Office, on: 0303 444 5004 or 0303 444 5005 or email: Press.office@planninginspectorate.gov.uk

Notes to editors:

The Planning Inspectorate, National Infrastructure Programme of Projects details the proposals which are anticipated to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate as applications in the coming months.