Vopak Terminal, West Thurrock

Client: Vopak UK Terminals Ltd
LPA: Thurrock Council

Vopak’s West Thurrock Terminal (now owned by Navigator Terminals) is a bulk liquid storage facility located adjacent to the River Thames, to the east of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. The proposal sought the erection of a bitumen storage facility including two 20m high storage tanks, exchange area and tanker loading gantry with weighbridges and associated pipework, all within the existing tank farm area.

As part of the preparation of the planning application, Boyer co-ordinated technical information from the consultant team and submitted an EIA Screening Request to Thurrock Council. Under the terms of the EIA Regulations, the proposal would exceed the thresholds set out in Schedule 2 6(c) relating to storage facilities for petroleum, petrochemical and chemical products, (i.e. the tanks would store more then 200 tonnes). However, Boyer successfully argued that the proposed development would not give rise to any likely significant effects, nor any complexities, which could not be assessed through a normal planning application.

Subsequently, Thurrock issued a formal Screening Opinion, which concurred with the conclusions set out by Boyer and determined that the proposals did not comprise EIA development and therefore, no ES was required to be prepared alongside the planning application.

The planning application was co-ordinated by Boyer, and was supported by a Planning, Design and Access Statement and an extensive Environmental Report to address a number of topics identified by the Council in order to consider any necessary mitigation measures during construction and/or operation. Dialogue with the Local Authority continued throughout consideration of the application with the application being determined under delegated powers.