Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the spoil from Crossrail tunnelling deposited at Wallasea Island was authorised under a landfill or recovery permit or licence and whether the same designation will apply to spoil deposited from the Thames Tideway Tunnel excavations.

The site at Wallasea Island received the Crossrail tunnel excavated material under a deposit for recovery permit.

Tideway, the Infrastructure Provider set up to finance, build, maintain and operate the Thames Tideway Tunnel, is assessing several sites that were identified as part of the information submitted for the Development Consent Order consent to receive the tunnel excavated material. In order to meet its commitment to transport by river Tideway is focussing on sites in the Thames Estuary. The type of permit these sites require is being assessed in line with current statutory guidance. A number of applications have been made and are being determined by the Environment Agency.