A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening: Government Updates Plan with Corrections

The UK government has issued a new order, The A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening Development Consent (Corrections) Order 2025, which comes into force on April 25, 2025. This order addresses and corrects a series of errors found in the original 2024 consent order for the A12 Chelmsford to A120 widening project.

Key Points:

• Background: The initial development consent was granted under the Planning Act 2008 for the A12 road widening between Chelmsford and A120, but it contained errors that needed correction.

• Correction Process: The corrections were requested by the applicant and Essex County Council, and the Secretary of State has informed local planning authorities about these requests.

• Corrections Made: A detailed schedule outlines the specific corrections, which include amendments to definitions, grammatical errors, and references to schedules and paragraphs. Notable corrections involve clarifying the definition of terms such as "environmental statement," "highway," and "maintain," and updating references in legal documents to ensure they align correctly with the intended meaning.

• Additional Reports: New definitions were added for supplementary reports, including a "supplementary botanical survey report" and a "supplementary hedgerow survey report," which are now certified as part of the order.

• Technical Adjustments: The order also corrects technical references, such as the naming of documents and plans, and adjustments in paragraphs concerning public rights of way, speed limits, and noise mitigation, making sure all legal texts are precise and applicable.

This correction order represents the government's commitment to ensuring that infrastructure projects like the A12 widening proceed with clarity and accuracy, addressing any oversight in previous legislative documents. It highlights the importance of precision in legal texts to avoid potential disruptions in the execution of development projects.