Second ferry terminal to open at Dover
The government has officially announced it has approved the plans for the development of a second ferry terminal at the Port of Dover.
The second terminal will cost £400 million to build and will effectively double the operating capacity at the Port of Dover.
The decision to expand the Port of Dover, and the approval of the plan by the government, is a clear sign of confidence by the government that they expect traffic to increase significantly, at this important logistics gateway, beyond the recession.
The Government’s announcement that Terminal 2 can be built is further testament to the exceptional lengths to which Dover Harbour Board has gone in order to consult and engage with its customers, stakeholders and the local community. The few holding objections submitted were removed earlier this year following further positive engagement with the respective bodies and so Terminal 2 was unopposed when the Secretary of State made the decision to approve the scheme.
The go-ahead for the plan also allows the related waterfront enabling works that are the necessary pre-cursor the regeneration of this part of the town – a development described locally as a catalyst for Dover’s renaissance. This is set to be delivered in advance of Terminal 2.
Following the announcement, Bob Goldfield, CEO of the Port of Dover, said,
“This is a great day for the port and its long-term future, for our local community and for the long-term resilience of the UK economy.”
Director of Port Development Mike Krayenbrink also added,
“The scale and detail of consultation that has been undertaken at all levels over the past few years has been unprecedented. It is a clear indication of how seriously we take our responsibility to develop the Port both as a national asset and as a key part of the local community.”
“Terminal 2 will be the single biggest development ever undertaken by Dover Harbour Board, and it will become the second biggest ferry terminal in the UK, after Dover’s existing ferry terminal in the Eastern Docks.”
Bob Goldfield also said,
“This decision should give confidence that good things are now starting to happen for Dover and that the team at the Port is determined to play a big part in ensuring the future growth and prosperity of both Port and town together.”
The decision comes a day after DFDS Seaways announced it was adding an extra passenger and freight ship to its Dover-Dunkerque service. The announcement also comes soon after SeaFrance ferry services were halted between Dover and Calais, after a French court rejected a £5m bid by DFDS to take over the company. The Conservative MP for Dover and Deal, Charlie Elphicke, warned hundreds of jobs could be lost in Dover if the company was not saved.
Dover Harbour Board has submitted plans to the government to sell the port.
A local group – the Dover People’s Port Trust – wants the port to be run by a community trust to plough profits back into the community.
Residents in the town have already voted in favour of a People’s Port, which has the backing of MP Charlie Elphicke.