Lorry Park & Customs Clearance Centre

Dear Mrs Elphicke

I have been alerted that there are proposals for a lorry park on the land next to B&Q, on the Whitfield enterprise zone. I am led to believe that, whilst central government had been investigating possible sites for post Brexit customs clearance centres in Kent, there had been no formal approach to build one in Whitfield or anywhere in Dover for that matter.
That situation has not really changed. The government still has not stated officially that they propose to build a clearance zone on the Whitfield site. In July there was an announcement that possible sites were being considered in the area by the Dept of Transport; but we were not informed of any locations.
In September an official from the DFT visited the area and met with the Leader of Dover District Council. The primary reason was to look at the Duke of York and Whitfield roundabouts so they could see, at first-hand, what the traffic issues were from the exit at the Port of Dover on to the A2.
At that time the Leader enquired whether a customs clearance zone was being considered within the Dover District and was not given an answer. A second meeting took place 3 weeks ago when the same question was put. The Leader was advised that one was being considered, the construction is likely to be undertaken via a Special Development Order; which stream lines the planning process. This would allow a clearance zone to be built by July 2021, when new customs procedures will come into effect.

Whilst recognising the intention of legislation that gives the government powers to use Special Development Orders, I believe in order for Councillors to fulfil their elected mandate, there should be as much transparency, disclosure and consultation as possible on major infrastructure plans such as lorry parks and border control points.

Any such proposals should take account of the impact on local communities, importantly, how that could impact upon property prices and the future saleability of properties in the immediate and surrounding villages, how this will impact on the local road network, proximity to existing built up areas, avoidance of harm to open landscape and potential harm to ecology, water quality, heritage and archaeology and the increase in what is considered an area of high internal combustion engine emissions pollution under Public Health.

The electorate who voted for you to represent their voice for the Dover, Deal area in Parliament, will wish to know:

• That you will be totally supportive of their objections to any HGV park anywhere within Dover district other than within the confines of Dover port.

• That you can assure your electorate that you will put their case against an HGV park being considered in the Whitfield or any other Dover area, to Parliament and in particular to any Select Committees convened for discussing such proposals.

• That you can give to me, like you, an elected representative of the people, a total assurance that there will be a total transparency in any consideration given to such projects within the Dover District area. We cannot afford to be capricious to our electorate under any such circumstances.

• Planning obligations under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 was introduced by the Tory Government to ensure there are ways that local authorities in the United Kingdom can secure additional public benefits from developers during the granting of planning. Planning gains seek to capture some of the uplift in land value which is generated by the granting of planning permission, or Special Development Orders, should you fail to stop the construction of such an HGV park in the Dover area.

Will you give us an assurance that you will fight for the equivalent of a s106 agreement to compensate the Local Authority, should you fail the local electorate in preventing an HGV park from being constructed in the Dover District area.

I look forward to receiving your reply stating your intended stance in this matter.

Whilst on the subject of replies, I am awaiting still for your reply to my email to you dated the 15 September 2020, regarding housing issues.

Yours sincerely

Geoffrey Lymer

Kent County Councillor

Dover West