On 25 March 2025, the Transport Secretary gave approval for the application from National Highways for a Development Consent Order for the Lower Thames Crossing. The Transport Secretary’s consideration of the application for the development including the environmental impacts are set out in her decision letter of 25 March 2025 which is available on the Planning Inspectorate’s website.

The Lower Thames Crossing project aims to reuse between 90% and 95% of the soil it excavates on site. This material will be used to create new public parks, embankments and earth bunds, helping to screen the route from the local community. The remaining material will be disposed of off-site. Details of how this material will be treated have not yet been determined; however, this information will be set out in the project’s Delivery Partners’ Site Waste and Materials Handling Plans, which, once completed and approved by the Secretary of State, will be published on the Lower Thames Crossing website.

Cost estimates for excavation at the chosen site are commercially sensitive and not suitable for publication at this time. No estimates have been made for locating the Learning Centre at a hypothetical site.

Information about the Learning Centre's content was presented at the public inquiry and is available on the Westminster City Council website: westminster.gov.uk/sites/default/files/cd_8.9_proof_of_evidence_of_stephen_greenberg_1.pdf .

Guidance for both individual metal detectorists and organisers of events operating during the covid-19 lockdown was published on the gov.uk page Guidance on searching for archaeological finds in England during COVID-19 on 9 July 2020. The guidance points organisers to directions on operating inside and outside events and also advises organisers and finders what to do if they discover a new archaeological site. The page also directs finders and organisers to the National Council for Metal Detecting guidance on best practice when detecting.

Rallies and club events are legally permitted and take place on private property with the landowner’s consent, The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport does not currently monitor or record activities at these events.

Responsibility for reporting possible treasure finds and arranging for an export licence lies with the finder and owner of the cultural object. Guidance on reporting treasure and applying for an export licence during the present situation is included on the gov.uk pages Guidance on searching for archaeological finds in England during COVID-19 and Export art, antiques and cultural goods: special rules. Anyone not reporting a potential treasure find or not obtaining an export licence where necessary can be subject to legal sanctions.

We regularly make clear our serious concerns about the situation in East Jerusalem to the Israeli authorities, both bilaterally and in co-operation with EU partners. We are strongly opposed to any attempts to change the facts on the ground in the East Jerusalem.

While we have not made an assessment of this issue, we regularly make clear our serious concerns about the situation in East Jerusalem to the Israeli authorities, both bilaterally and in co-operation with EU partners. We are strongly opposed to any attempts to change the facts on the ground in the East Jerusalem.

The volume of lorry movements to move excavated material by HGV is detailed in the HS2 Phase One Environmental Statement and the cost is included within the HS2 budget. The cost of moving material by rail is more expensive than moving material by road because it requires investment in rail infrastructure and the cost of operating and maintaining the freight service. HS2 Ltd and its contractors are committed to identifying options to reduce the impact of lorry movements and where practicable maximise the volume of material transported by rail.

HS2 Ltd has recently adopted plans to enable excavated material from the construction of the HS2 Euston Station to be moved by rail. These plans require the construction of rail infrastructure to enable a reduction of around 55,000 lorry movements from the Euston area.

HS2 Ltd has also considered opportunities for use of rail transport to take away excavated material from construction of the Euston approaches. This option was rejected on basis of the level of costs required to construct the rail infrastructure and provide and maintain the freight service compared to the limited amount of excavated material that could be removed.

As the design progresses, HS2 Ltd and its contractors are committed to realising further opportunities for the use of rail to transport construction materials to the Euston worksite and will continue to provide regular updates to stakeholders and the local community

In accordance with the HS2 Phase One Environmental Statement and assurances provided to Camden Council, HS2 Ltd has identified an option to maximise the movement of material by rail. In developing proposals with its contractors, HS2 Ltd has a regular dialogue with Camden Council through existing forums and with the local community through the Euston Community Representatives Group, which represents local groups and associations in the Camden area, in addition to making information available on its local ‘HS2 in Camden’ website.

The environmental effects of moving all of the excavated materials arising from the construction of the HS2 Euston Station and Euston Approaches by road was assessed and published in the HS2 Environmental Statement (2015) Additional Provision 3 (AP3). This includes likely significant effects of HGV movements on road traffic, air quality, noise and other relevant topics in accordance with Environmental Impact Assessment methodology.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/supplementary-environmental-statement-2-and-additional-provision-3-environmental-statement-supplementary-environmental-information

We are concerned by the reports of excavations by Israeli settlers in East Jerusalem and the impact it has on Palestinian homes. We condemn the destruction of Palestinian property and have called on the Israeli authorities to cease such activity.

While we have not made any assessment on this issue, we are strongly opposed to any attempts to change the facts on the ground in East Jerusalem.

As part of our recent review of the planning law and regulations which relate to basement developments, we held a call for evidence which sought examples of good practice in the effective use of the current planning framework in managing basement developments. This included how the planning system can be used to mitigate any potential adverse impacts arising from such developments. We are grateful to the Noble Lord for his support and feedback around this issue.

Tideway, the infrastructure provider set up to finance and deliver the Thames Tideway Tunnel, has been assessing several sites identified through the Development Consent Order (DCO) process to receive the tunnel excavated material.

Amongst other things this assessment looks at maximising the beneficial use of excavated material and its transport by river to meet environmental commitments made under the DCO. The relevant site operators have already made a number of applications to the Environment Agency (EA). The type of permit these sites require will be assessed by the EA in line with its guidance. This guidance is currently being revised following a recent Court of Appeal judgment which in some cases may lead to the reclassification of some waste activities as disposal rather than recovery. It is possible for appropriate disposal to deliver beneficial use such as habitat creation.

There have been no lorry movements to remove spoil excavated in Greater London related to the construction of High Speed 2.

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.

There are many sites across the country licensed to accept the type of excavated material and waste from the Thames Tideway Tunnel (TTT). Tideway, the Infrastructure Provider set up to finance, build, maintain and operate the TTT, is assessing several sites that were identified as part of the information submitted for the Development Consent Order consent to receive the TTT excavated material. In order to meet Tideway's commitment to transport by river, it 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.

Excavated material arising from the construction of Phase One of HS2 will be transported along the construction corridor (site haul) where it is reasonably practicable to do so. Where that is not possible, or for movement along longer distances, the material will be transported by public highway, along designated routes. Where reasonably practicable, rail has been considered for the transportation of large quantities of excavated material over long distances. There are currently no plans to move any of the excavated material by river.

The approximate quantities and relative proportion of each of these transportation methods, allocated to broad sections of the proposed route is set out in the table below. These figures reflect the assumptions reported in the Environmental Statement deposited alongside the Phase One Bill and, as such, are a plausible worst case in terms of both total volume of excavated material and proportion transport by highway and rail. The project has made a commitment to maximise the amount of excavated material transported by rail and are working to increase the proportion transport by rail and decrease the proportion transported by highway wherever reasonably practicable.

(All figures are in million tons and movements may include multiple handling)

Officials at our embassy in Tel Aviv have raised the issue of archaeological excavations near to the Western Wall and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, as well as the future of the Mughrabi ramp, with the Israeli authorities on a number of occasions. We understand that the issue of the Mughrabi ramp has also been the subject of discussion at the executive board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

Given the sensitivity of the site, we have asked the Israeli authorities to consult fully with relevant parties, including UNESCO, before any work is carried out on the Mughrabi ramp or in areas that would directly impact the Temple Mount.