Plans to build Kent tunnel connecting Bluewater to 6,000 homes

In May 2020, KCC Major Capital Programmes was given the green light to build the tunnel, but no work was carried out within three years, so the applicant had to submit proposals again this year.

If approved, the tunnel will be 80 metres long and will connect 6,000 homes from Ebbsfleet Garden City’s Eastern Quarry, also known as Whitecliffe, to the county’s largest shopping centre in Greenhithe.

The outline planning application includes a commitment to providing a GP healthcare facility, with planners stating it will continue to collaborate closely with NHS partners to deliver this as part of a world-class "health and wellbeing hub."

Alongside healthcare, the site will feature spaces for business, education, and research, forming a health, education, and innovation district.

The development also allows for other uses, like co-living and student accommodation, as well as pubs, bars, theatres, and cinemas.

The proposals also state that £8 million could be set aside to build a new secondary school, as well as a new facility for SEND (special educational and disabilities) children.

Documents for the resubmitted plans were first sent to the county council at the end of July 2024.

In 2020, the Planning Committee unanimously approved the plans which would be accessible for buses, cyclists and pedestrians.

The applicant says it will relieve “unacceptable traffic congestion” in the area and benefit thousands of future homeowners.

Dartford Council also backed the plans.

There were some concerns at the time, including from Maidstone County Councillor Ian Chittenden (Lib Dem) who said there were “serious questions” about the safety of people using the tunnel.

Kent County Council said the reason why no work was carried out for the last three years was due to the combination of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and inflation and rising interest rates.

The Council is expected to make a decision by September 26.