Case Studies

Mitigating the Impacts of the UK’s Longest Road Tunnel on a Major Essex Farming Estate

Background

In March 2025, the Lower Thames Crossing (“LTC”) Development Consent Order (“DCO”) was approved. This is a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (“NSIP”) to connect Kent and Essex via the UK’s longest road tunnel, costing £9 billion.

Our client owns a large and diverse agricultural, commercial and residential estate in Thurrock, Essex and farms in partnership as C. H. Cole & Sons, a sixth generation arable farming enterprise, growing combinable crops, potatoes, sweetcorn and salad crops for the UK food supply chain over an area of approximately 2,800 hectares.

The Challenge

LTC will pass through the core of the estate, resulting in the loss of much of the farm’s best, irrigated veg-growing land to compulsory purchase. National Highways will also acquire new rights across other land for public access and the diversion of utilities infrastructure. The farm could also face operational challenges bought about by the severance of land on either side of the new road. Our client therefore required expert advice to help mitigate their losses and protect their interests against these numerous and far reaching impacts.

Our Involvement

The scope of BTF’s remit has been comprehensive. Director, Tom French and qualified surveyor Joe Hearnden have been instructed to deal with all matters arising in connection with LTC, they have helped our client to develop a strategy to reduce LTC’s impact and have provided the means to ensure that the project proposals take our clients concerns into account.

The key is to ensure that National Highways have a detailed understanding of the comprehensive scope and complexity of the challenges imposed by LTC, we have achieved this through proactive collaboration and engagement. Our client benefits from our tailored advice and has been able to negotiate with National Highways throughout the Development Consent Order process, including outside of statutory timeframes.

As National Highways prepared their DCO application, our client’s land became the subject of a widespread and prolonged programme of intrusive surveys. We engaged with National Highways and their contractor to agree suitable protocols for access to minimise operational disruption for the farm and negotiated a remuneration package for loss of crop and consequential losses in connection with the works.

During statutory consultations, and the Planning Inspectorate’s Public Enquiry, we supported our client in the preparation and submission of representations. This enabled formal objections to the DCO, which are particularly crucial considering new public access proposals and associated risks of antisocial behaviour and criminal damage to farm property, a reality faced by our client in other areas of the estate.

Next Steps

As National Highways now executes their DCO and take possession of our client’s land, BTF is preparing to make advanced claims to ensure adequate compensation for the interests being acquired. We will provide our client with valuation advice and negotiate with the acquiring authority on their behalf to bring a positive resolution to any disputes.

Throughout the construction of new road, we will ensure that National Highways and their contractors are held accountable for the impacts to our client’s land and business, as well as ensuring that temporary possession areas are handed back to our client in equal condition.

Client Testimonial

“The Lower Thames Crossing represents a fundamental threat to our farm and will have a lasting impact on our business and our future as food producers. Having BTF as our agents has been critical to ensuring that our family and business interests have remained protected and their guidance has helped us navigate complex challenges and uncertainty” – Jeremy Finnis, Partner, C.H. Cole & Sons.

Get in touch

Speak to our specialist team today on 01233 740099.