Client: Kent International Gateway Limited & AXA REIM
Gerald Eve LLP were instructed in 2008 to prov ide planning advice to Kent International Gateway Limited and AXA REIM regarding the development of Kent International Gateway, a 116 ha (285 acres) strategic rail freight interchange east of Maidstone, Kent, at Junction 8 of the M20 including rail sidings and approximately 300,000 sq m (circa. 3 million sq ft) of warehousing and office space.
Kent International Gateway is proposed to form a key part of the UK’s strategic distribution network and a important addition to the rail infrastructure of the South East. It is proposed to accommodate full length freight trains arriving from Continental Europe by the Channel
Tunnel as well as forming the point of origin for freight trains formed of cargo arriving by lorry from the Channel Ports for onward distribution into the UK. It is therefore expected to play a significant role in reducing the number of lorries travelling further into the UK from Europe, so
avoiding congestion and lowering carbon emissions.
Gerald Eve LLP provided strategic planning advice in the run up to a large and complex ten week Public Inquiry for which Hugh Bullock, Gerald Eve LLP’s Senior Partner, prepared evidence and appeared as an expert planning witness.
Key issues included the contribution of the proposed development to achieving improvements in the logistics and distribution system and the strategic planning policy framework for large scale development in this part of the South East.
Gerald Eve LLP worked at the heart of a large multi-disciplinary team to ensure that a cogent and compelling synthesis of a large amount of complex technical evidence was presented to the Inquiry.
|
|