A ban on developing land reserved for a proposed bridge project cancelled 17 years ago has been withdrawn by the Government.
Transport minister Simon Lightwood described the safeguarding direction in relation to the axed Thames Gateway Bridge scheme in east London as an “obstacle to much-needed development”.
The bridge would have connected Newham to Greenwich, but was scrapped by then-London mayor Boris Johnson in 2008, who said the capital should focus on “projects that deliver real benefits for Londoners”.
Safeguarding is used to stop land from being developed in a way that would conflict with future schemes.
In a written statement to Parliament, Mr Lightwood wrote that the safeguarding direction for the Thames Gateway Bridge dated back to 1940, when “the area’s transport needs were very different”.
He went on: “Since then, London’s transport priorities have evolved, and over the decades we have seen major investments in London’s river crossings – most notably the Dartford Crossing, and recently, the Silvertown Tunnel.
“The safeguarding directions therefore no longer align with the direction of transport policy or the evolving needs of this part of London.
“The continued safeguarding of this land has been an obstacle to much-needed development, and I am therefore lifting these directions.
“The Government is keen to deliver new homes and unlock economic opportunity, and we are taking steps to remove unnecessary barriers to progress.”
