London Paramount takes a huge step forward as first non-infrastructure Planning Act 2008 scheme direction announced

First non-infrastructure Planning Act 2008 scheme direction announced

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has announced that proposals for a major new Disney-style theme park in Kent will be determined by the Planning Act 2008 regime originally set up to handle nationally significant infrastructure projects.

The scheme, currently known as London Paramount, is earmarked for a 200-hectare site at Swanscombe, close to Ebbsfleet Station.

The project is the first to be treated as a development of national significance following the Government’s decision to allow certain specified non-infrastructure schemes to use the regime.

The minister’s direction letter said he considered that “the proposal would be likely to have significant economic Impact, be important in driving growth in the economy, and that it would have an impact on an area wider than a single local authority area. The Secretary of State also considers that the substantial physical size of the proposal is relevant to his decision that this project is of national significance.

“The SoS also thinks that this would be a project that would benefit from the ‘single authorisation’ process offered by the Planning Act 2008 regime.”

London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH), the company behind the theme park proposal, has welcomed the move.

The location of the project on the North Kent coast straddles the boundary between two local planning authorities - Gravesham and Dartford Borough Councils.