The environmental licences are an important part of the London Gateway delivery programme that provide DP World with Government permissions to carry out a wide variety of work such as engineering and water discharge as well as moving animals off the site before work could start at the former oil refinery.
Thousands of animals have been moved from the new port and Logistics Park site, situated 25 miles east of central London on the north bank of the Thames, including great crested newts, water voles, slow worms, adders and grass snakes.
The complex task of licensing and monitoring the new port site has benefited from a close working partnership between the Environment Agency’s Anglian Regional Team and DP World’s Environmental Management Team.
Lord Smith, Chairman of the Environment Agency said: “London Gateway is an exciting development, and will provide a major boost to the economy of the region. I was very pleased to be able to see the excellent working relationship that is in place between this huge complex project and the Environment Agency. There are lots of challenges on projects like this and it’s great to see the first class work that is being carried out.”
Simon Moore, London Gateway CEO, said: “We were delighted to welcome Lord Smith to see the progress we have made with our construction work and world class environmental management programme. We are confident that we will continue to deliver outstanding environmental management in the future”.
A new 30 hectare wildlife zone known as the Stanford Wharf Nature Reserve has been created to provide thousands of birds with a feeding ground in the Estuary. The Environment Agency has confirmed that numerous species of fish have been attracted to the area and that the new reserve is now well established.
London Gateway won the Lloyds List Environmental Award in 2010 and was the first port construction project to be awarded ISO 1401:2004 by LRQA for environmental management. Marcus Pearson, London Gateway Environment Manager, said: “London Gateway has a very good working relationship with the Environment Agency, this team work ethic has ensured construction works have never been delayed whilst waiting for regulatory sign off of permits and consents.”