Ancient woods and trees threatened by Lower Thames Crossing

Proposals for a new tunnel linking Essex and Kent under the River Thames have threatened ancient woods and veteran trees since 2016. We've spent years campaigning to show that the proposals are unacceptable. 

Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to protecting these precious habitats. Your commitment has been instrumental in raising awareness of the scheme's negative impacts on veteran trees, our own Ashenbank site, and the scheme's carbon impacts.

What’s the problem?

Many of the woods threatened by the Lower Thames Crossing form part of the large Shorne and Ashenbank ancient woodland SSSI complex. These woods, including our own Ashenbank Wood, are part of a significant historical landscape, rich in archaeology and cultural importance. They are home to rare wildlife, including woodpeckers, great crested newts and dormice, and are designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Nationally notable invertebrates also live here, along with over 300 species of fungi.

To make matters worse, National Highways (formerly Highways England) has withheld critical information throughout all its public consultations. It has failed to disclose exactly which environmental features will be affected.

National Highways submitted a new Development Consent Order (DCO) in autumn 2022 - an application to the Planning Inspectorate for approval to undertake a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. But it still hasn't revealed the extent of the appalling damage. This is unacceptable.

We know ancient woodland is going to suffer. Our own assessments indicate 7.2 hectares would be lost. A previous consultation clarified that the scheme would also destroy 6 veteran trees, though their locations remain unclear.

The loss of irreplaceable habitats like these is unacceptable. This is not what progress looks like, for nature or climate.  

A threat to the new Government’s climate goals

The new Government has made welcome commitments to tackle the twin climate and nature crises. They include a pledge by new Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, to ensure the UK’s international climate leadership is based on achievements at home.

But the Lower Thames Crossing will potentially emit 6.6 million tonnes of carbon over its lifetime - one of the largest carbon footprints of any major road scheme in the UK. It will also destroy ancient woodland which is an important carbon store. Ancient woods make up about 25% of UK woodlands, but they store 36% of woodland carbon. The carbon storing capacity of ancient woodlands takes hundreds of years to develop.

Going ahead with this project would clearly be at odds with the UK Government’s domestic climate ambitions. It will also negatively impact our ability to meet fast-approaching and legally-binding environmental targets, which the new Government is committed to meeting.

The fight continues

Progress doesn’t look like this. A final decision was expected on 4 October, but has been postponed until at least 23 May 2025.

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has stated that the delay is 'to allow more time for the application to be considered further, including any decisions made as part of the spending review'. While we wait for a decision, we'll keep objecting to this destructive plan whenever possible.

Thank you to everyone who’s joined us in fighting the scheme. Together, we can create a better future that puts healthy people, wildlife and environment first.

Thank you for your support so far

Our campaigning against this devastating scheme has continued over the past few years and thousands of you joined us in telling National Highways that the loss of ancient woods and veteran trees is unacceptable. Thank you.

• In June 2022, 1,459 of you responded to the local refinement consultation through our campaign to explore how the project could be improved for local people.
• In May 2023, we went to 10 Downing Street to deliver the petition over 12,000 of you signed. It condemned the impacts of the scheme after National Highways applied for Planning Inspectorate approval.