What is a Development Consent Order?
A Development Consent Order (DCO) is a piece of legislation that gives authority to East West Rail Company (EWR Co) to build the new railway. The DCO process is for major projects, so it would grant consent for the entire Project, combining multiple approvals into one document.
Before we can start building the final section of East West Rail – which involves a new railway between Bedford and Cambridge and associated works to the existing railway between Oxford and Bedford – we need to do lots of planning to make sure we introduce the right kind of railway. This includes the route the railway takes, where stations will be located and lots of other considerations like where to build train depots and how to protect the environment.
These decisions are not taken lightly and there are lots of checks and reviews of plans before the railway can be built. Ultimately, the final plans need to be approved by the Secretary of State for Transport. For major projects like East West Rail this requires a type of approval known as “development consent”, which is granted via a DCO.
There are six key stages and approvals as part of the DCO process:
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1. Pre-application
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2. Acceptance
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3. Pre-examination
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4. Examination
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5. Recommendations and decision
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6. Post-decision
How will I be kept updated as the DCO process progresses?
The best way to stay in touch with us is to join our mailing list. You’ll receive a regular newsletter with project updates as well as key project announcements. You can sign up to our newsletter here.
You can also keep up to date on DCO applications on the Planning Inspectorate website. Once the application has been submitted, you can sign up as an ‘Interested Party’ to get involved.
Find out more about the DCO process and how to get involved on the Planning Inspectorate website here.
