Delay in Launch of Stanford Lorry Park Design Consultation

A six week consultation into the design of the proposed lorry park in Stanford near Junction 11 of the M20 was due to launch today - although, as reported by Kent Online, the key consultation documents were not available on time due to a technical problem.

The Lorry Park has been given the go-ahead by Government as part of a £250m package intended to mitigate the effects of Operation Stack which brought the M20 and much of Kent to a halt in the summer of 2015. The public consultation on the concept of the lorry park at Stanford had a mixed response, with support for tackling Operation Stack but strong local opposition to the siting of a single 3,600 space lorry park in Stanford. Many people have questioned if a single lorry park is likely to be effective, if there are better technical solutions and fear the joint impact of both this lorry park and the newly proposed Otterpool Park new town that Shepway District Council are promoting on a neighbouring site.

Highways England have released the dates for the public exhibitions on the proposed designs which will be held during the consultation:

• Friday 19th August, 1pm-7pm - Sellindge Village Hall, Main Rd, Ashford TN25 6JX
• Tuesday 23rd August, 2pm-8pm - Leas Cliff Hall, The Leas, Folkestone, Kent, CT20 2DZ
• Thursday 25th August, 2pm-8pm - Postling Village Hall, Hythe CT21 4EU
• Friday 2nd September, 1pm-7pm - Sellindge Village Hall, Main Rd, Ashford TN25 6JX
• Saturday 3rd September, 1pm-7pm - Postling Village Hall, Hythe CT21 4EU
• Saturday 10th September, 12pm-6pm - Lympne Village Hall, Aldington Road, Lympne, CT21 4HL
• Monday 12th September, 2pm-8pm - Dover Town Hall, The Maison Dieu, Biggin Street, CT16 1DL
• Wednesday 14th September, 2pm-8pm - St Mary's Church, Bentley Road, Willesborough, Kent, TN24 0LB