Brexit lorry park delayed until 2022 as it awaits planning permission … from the government

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A lorry park that is planned to be constructed near Dover for the purpose of new post-Brexit customs checks has been delayed until at least 2022. According to a report by Kent Live, one reason for the delay is that the project hasn’t received planning permission from the government.

Officially speaking, the Department for Transport says the delay is down to the fact that post-Brexit customs checks on incoming goods won’t be fully implemented until next year. The lorry park was originally planned to be up and running by July of this year.

However, reports from Kent state that there has been no visible signs of any construction taking place at the White Cliffs Inland Border Facility site, which is located opposite a B&Q store near Guston.

The Department for Transport told MyDover the reason for the lack of activity is that planning permission hasn’t been granted yet.

However, due to emergency Brexit legislation, a Special Development Order can be used to grant planning permission, which means that the project is being held back by the government itself.

When asked if the plans for the Dover lorry park would proceed as planned, a DfT spokesperson said:

“Our priority is guaranteeing that we have the right infrastructure in place that will allow us to carry out the necessary checks vital to keep trade flowing smoothly.”

When the plans were first announced, residents in Guston fiercely protested against the construction of the lorry park. Opposition to the facility in Guston also remains strong.

Moreover, elsewhere in Kent, the Sevington inland border facility has also proven to be very unpopular with some residents. Last month, people living nearby the lorry park said it is “floodlit like Wembley” and causes severe light pollution.


Photo credit: UK Department for Transport (left) + Twitter (right)

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