Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the proposed sale of Tollgate Hotel Watling Street Gravesend Kent DA13 9RA to BP Oil UK Limited, what information his Department holds on proposals to re-market the property for sale as a result of the seven-year delay in BP securing planning on that site.

Highways England entered into a conditional contract with BP for the sale of Tollgate Hotel which was conditional on planning permission being granted for development. The planning applications submitted have been subject to a number of judicial reviews, which has delayed the sale. As a result, Highways England have now agreed with BP to move to an unconditional contract, which means the sale will no longer be dependent on gaining planning permission and Highways England will now be able to progress the sale.

Given that Highways England will be entering into a new unconditional contract with BP for the sale of the property, they have no plans to remarket at this time.