Representation by Ruskin Landscapes Limited (Ruskin Landscapes Limited)
- Date submitted
- 24 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
We oppose the current DCO proposals on the basis that the new site location for the Construction compound presents far greater harm to the openness of the Green Belt and will incur greater costs to the public purse. The site under our ownership (known by the LTC as North Ockendon Pit) was previously included in the LTC DCO as Construction Compound CA14 before the proposed relocation (change reference code LEN17). The proposed removal is on the basis that the original plans would potentially interfere with a site designated with SINC status. In our opinion our site has been incorrectly designated with SINC status and we are in the process of mounting a legal challenge against illegally obtained and incorrect data on which the SINC status is founded. In fact, surveys carried out by the LTC themselves on our site are evidence that the SINC status is unfounded. With consideration for all planning and consultation works carried out date and the associated costs, and for the following reasons we believe that our site should be the preferred option: 1) As opposed to a compulsory purchase Ruskin Landscapes Limited offered to let the LTC occupy the land on a lease/licence agreement at a peppercorn rent for as long as they required it, thereby affording their project a significant cost saving which would in turn benefit the public purse. 2) Ruskin Landscapes Limited’s land at Hall Farm Ockendon was previously used as a land fill site, this previous use and quasi brownfield status makes it a far more suitable and sustainable candidate for the M25 Compound than the adjacent arable greenfield land now being proposed. Legal representation has already been acquired to challenge the SINC designation and have it removed from the Local Plan. Although this is a non-statutory designation it has directly caused the LTC to switch to the adjacent site. The relocation of the M25 Construction Compound will result in additional unnecessary costs for the LTC project and therefore represent misuse of public funds. It will also cause increased and significant harm to open Green Belt land.