Dartford-Thurrock Crossing Act 1988

3 (1) Not less than 56 days before commencing any operations for the construction of any tidal work, or operations for the maintenance or improvement of any such work affecting the river, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Port Authority for their approval plans of the work or (as the case may be) proposed operations and the proposed timetable for the operations. E+W

(2) In sub-paragraph (1) above—

• “plans” means outline design and construction drawings, and includes such specifications and other appropriate documents as may be reasonably necessary to give the Port Authority an understanding of the intentions of the Secretary of State in connection with any of the operations proposed which will or may have a significant effect on navigation in, or the flow or regime of, the river; and

• “the proposed timetable for the operations” means a statement of the times at which it is intended that significant operations will be carried out, so far as it is reasonably practicable to estimate those times.

(3) The Secretary of State shall supply to the Port Authority with the plans and proposed timetable such relevant hydraulic information as may be available to the Secretary of State and is not in the possession of the Port Authority.

(4) The Secretary of State shall submit to the Port Authority such further particulars available to him with respect to the work and the proposed operations as the Port Authority may, within 28 days of the submission of the plans and proposed timetable, reasonably require.

(5) The Port Authority’s approval of the plans and proposed timetable submitted under sub-paragraph (1) above shall not be unreasonably withheld; and if within 56 days after the submission of the plans and proposed timetable the Port Authority have not approved or disapproved them, they shall be deemed to have approved them.