Port of London Harbour Revision Order formal consultation starts

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has today (18 August 2021) started its formal consultation on a draft Port of London Authority (PLA) Harbour Revision Order (HRO).

HROs amend the existing legislative basis of a port and are consented under the Harbours Act 1964. The MMO has, since 2010, undertaken this process on behalf of the Secretary of State for the Department of Transport.

The HRO is intended to modernise the Port of London Act 1968, under which the PLA operates. It takes into account the nature of modern operations and technology in use on the river today and the continued evolution of the PLA as a modern, transparent organisation.

The PLA HRO can be found on the GOV.UK website (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/port-of-london-authority-harbour-revision-order), it is also on PLA website. The PLA HRO reflects revisions made after an informal, pre-submission consultation in autumn 2019. More than 50 stakeholders contributed through the informal consultation phase.

“The tidal Thames and the PLA have changed radically since the Port of London Act under which we operate was last updated,” explained Robin Mortimer, chief executive of the PLA. “The draft HRO on which the MMO is consulting has been developed through engagement with our many stakeholders over the last eighteen months.

“With the draft reviewed and cleared for formal consultation, we encourage anyone who has an interest in the PLA and the Thames to have a look and share any views. All comments need to go to the MMO.”

The formal consultation will last for an extended 56-day period, closing on 12 October 2021. An HRO consultation normally lasts 42 days; the PLA has requested the extension to allow as many people as possible opportunity to engage and comment.

Comments on the PLA HRO application should be sent to the MMO Marine Licensing Team by email [email protected], or by post at the address below:

Marine Licensing Team
Marine Management Organisation
Lancaster House
Hampshire Court
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE4 7YH

To be considered, representations need to:

• be received before the expiry of a period of 56-days consultation period;
• be made in writing and quoting reference HRO/2020/00005;
• state the grounds of the objection or representation;
• indicate who is making the objection or representation; and
• give an address to which correspondence relating to the objection or representation may be sent.