4th June 2021
Dear All,
I hope you are all well and have been enjoying the lovely sunny weather that we have been experiencing.
I wanted to write to update you further on where we are with the Department for Transport -IBF.
Department for Transport – Inland Border Facility
The last update that I was able to provide was in March. This was the last meeting that Guston Parish Council had attended with the Department for Transport.
All subsequent meeting dates that usually include GPC, DDC and KCC have been cancelled by the DfT as they have communicated that they are not currently in the position to provide any further information.
The only information that we have which I am happy to share with all our residents is the following:
- The Cabinet Office is currently undertaking a review of costs and feasibilities on all IBFs in Kent. The DfT have confirmed that it is good practice to ensure that any project remains viable as it is developed, and they are taking stock to ensure that the IBF’s in Kent still meet requirements.
- Although the DfT are not able to provide answers to the questions that have been put to them such as ‘is it still your intention to construct an IBF at the White Cliffs Business Park?’, ‘Do the purpose, size and dimensions of the site remain the same?’, ‘Are there any changes to the environmental mitigations that you intend to put in place?’ They have only confirmed that HM Government is committed to the development of an IBF at the White Cliffs Business Park.
- The EU Exit Operations (XO) Committee at the Cabinet Office is expected to meet next week to decide about the Kent IBFs. Given the national importance and complexity of these projects, it is fair to assume that the final decision may not be taken next week.
- The SDO submission to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Governments is dependant upon the XO review.
- The DfT expect to submit the SDO as soon as reasonably practical at the conclusion of the review and commence construction works on site as soon as all the necessary permissions and authorisations are in place.
- There is no current timescale at this point, but the DfT would expect construction to commence before the end of this year.
- The DfT have stated they are still committed to engaging with all parties including residents as soon as they are able to provide greater clarity on the future of the project.
You maybe thinking, as we are, that there seems to be many delays with this project. Timescales are being pushed further and further ahead into the future with no concrete information. The site was only ever meant to be a temporary facility, removed and returned to a pre-IBF state by December 2025.
By the time it is operational which may not be until after the first quarter of 2022, it will hardly seem worth spending the millions of taxpayer’s money to construct and implement such a facility. After all, the HGVs are currently using the facility at Sevington which we are informed is not at full capacity. Only time will tell. I will keep you updated as we hear information.
If you have not done so already, please could I urge you to sign up to receive regular updates via the Guston Parish Council website. This will mean that you will receive an email when any news information is shared and will help you to keep up to date with any changes in your community.
Best wishes
Tracey Creed BEM
Chair -Guston Parish Council