Tavistock re-opening enters new phase

The re-opening of the Bere Alston-Tavistock line has moved forward with Devon County Council submitting to the Planning Inspectorate an Environmental Impact Assessment screening and scoping study.

The move, necessary as the scheme is classed as a nationally significant infrastructure project, is the first stage towards an application for a Development Consent Order, which is the planning process to be used in this case. The Inspectorate is firstly being asked whether a full EIA is required (the ‘screening’ stage), and then to set out the scope of the assessments needed for the EIA (the ‘scoping’ stage).

The Planning Inspectorate will consult widely (but not with the public) on the study, which is available on DCC’s website. It will then issue a screening and/or scoping ‘opinion’ setting out whether or not EIA is required, and if so whether the assessments proposed are appropriate.

• For more information, see RAIL 762, published on November 26.