Safeguarding Directions

If your property is within 200 metres of the safeguarding zone, please contact the safeguarding team using the contact details below.

The Safeguarding Team
Crossrail
Portland House
Bressenden Place
London SW1E

Tel: 020 3023 9100
Fax: 020 3023 9101
Email: safeguarding@crossrail.co.uk

On the 22nd February 2005 the then Secretary of State for Transport (the Rt Hon Member for Edinburgh South West, Alistair Darling MP) introduced a hybrid Bill to provide for the construction, maintenance and operation of Crossrail. At this time, directions were also issued for the safeguarding of the main Crossrail route, from Maidenhead to Shenfield and from Whitechapel to Abbey Wood, for the associated construction worksites, and for the possible extension of Crossrail from Abbey Wood to Hoo Junction. This safeguarding protects the route from any conflicting developments which could interfere with the construction or operation of Crossrail.

As a result of negotiations with affected parties and the development of engineering design works, there have been changes to the land needed for the construction and operation of Crossrail. This means that some land that has been safeguarded will no longer be needed, while we are proposing to use other sections of land that are not currently safeguarded. On the 24 January 2008 the Secretary of State for Transport has issued revised safeguarding directions for the main route that reflect these changes.

The purpose of the Directions is to require local planning authorities along the route to refer planning applications falling within the safeguarding limits, to Cross London Rail Links Limited, who administer the Directions on behalf of the Department, to ascertain whether development proposals might be prejudicial to the construction of Crossrail. The Directions are accompanied by a set of plans that highlight the safeguarding directions.

It is the Department’s intention to issue a final Safeguarding Direction once Royal Assent has been granted, for the construction period of the project.

The Directions and plans can be viewed on the Crossrail web site at www.crossrail.co.uk.

Copies of the Directions and plans may also be viewed at Local Planning Authority offices on request.

Local planning authorities must consult Crossrail when they receive certain planning applications on the Crossrail and Chelsea-Hackney route alignments.

The Directions consist of a legal document (the Direction) and plans showing the Limits of Land Subject to Consultation. Within those limits, some areas are identified as being of surface interest where all applications must be referred to Crossrail.

Elsewhere, consultation is limited to proposals that include works deeper than 3 metres below ground level.

The Crossrail tunnels will be bored beneath this area at a depth that will not directly interfere with the buildings that do not have deep foundations.

Land subject to consultation

The land subject to consultation is an area approximately 100 metres wide, within which there are areas of surface interest.

The areas of surface interest are where the railway will be shallow, at or above ground level.
Other areas identified as surface interest include land required permanently for stations, ventilation and access shafts or temporarily during construction.

Purpose of Safeguarding


a) To allow Crossrail the opportunity to comment on whether proposals that may or may not have an impact on railway proposals.
b) To enable development to take place in a way that minimises impact of construction and operation of Crossrail on new buildings.
c) To inform the public about the existence of the scheme.


Local Authority searches

a) The existence of the Safeguarding Directions is shown in local Land Charges Register.
b) Authorities usually direct enquiries about safeguarding to the Crossrail Safeguarding Team which aims to respond to the enquiry within three days
c) Some local authorities outside greater London have shown the project in their local Land Charges register even though they will be limited to existing railway property.


Copies of the plans and Directions

a) Local Authorities affected by the schemes are able to provide the current Safeguarding Directions for public reference. Those can usually be found in the Town Hall or planning department of the borough concerned.


Boroughs affected by Safeguarding

a) For Crossrail, the current Safeguarding Directions affect 24 Local Authorities:


London Borough Barking & Dagenham
London Borough of Camden
London Borough of Ealing
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
London Borough of Islington
London Borough of Newham
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
London Borough of Greenwich
London Borough of Hillingdon
London Borough of Redbridge
London Borough of Bexley
City of Westminster
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
The Corporation of London
Basildon District Council
Brentwood Borough Council
Buckinghamshire County Council
Essex County Council
London Borough of Havering
South Bucks District Council
Slough Borough Council
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
District of Tendring
Olympic Development Authority


b) For the Chelsea-Hackney Line, the current Safeguarding Directions affects11 Local Authorities


City of Westminster
London Borough of Camden
London Borough of Hackney
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
London Borough of Islington
London Borough of Merton
London Borough of Newham
London Borough of Waltham Forest
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Olympic Development Authority


Planning Applications

On receipt of a planning application from the local authority, the Crossrail Safeguarding Team assesses whether the construction or operation of Crossrail will have an impact on the applications. Crossrail will seek a meeting with the applicant to discuss the proposals and seek a mutually acceptable solution.

Crossrail concerns usually affect matters such as foundation design that do not usually directly concern local planning authorities. Crossrail may direct a refusal, but normally reaches an agreement with the developer that is reflected in a condition attached to the planning consent.

Most of Crossrail's concerns about development proposals relate to matters that have not been addressed by the developers before making their application. It is usually possible to develop mutually acceptable design solutions to overcome any problems. Crossrail aims to avoid conflict with the developers by negotiation but it may respond to the local planning authority with a recommendation to refuse the application or impose conditions.

General Enquiries

Contact Crossrail with a written enquiry giving the address of the property concerned and your forwarding address. A plan showing the location of the property in relation to the street will reduce the chance of error and speed up the response

FAQs:

What does my local authority search mean when "the property falls within the limits of land subject to consultation"?

This indicates that the property is within the limits shown on the safeguarding plans and may be affected by the construction and operation of the railway.

Site specific details can be obtained from the Crossrail Team.

How many routes are safeguarded?

Two routes are currently safeguarded:

Crossrail: Maidenhead to Shenfield and also Abbey Wood

Chelsea-Hackney Line: Wimbledon to Epping, also areas near Putney Bridge and Wimbledon Stations.

The Crossrail route from Abbey Wood to Hoo Junction is currently in consultation with local councils. This may lead to the updating of the safeguarding plans later.

How can I find more about the schemes?

Refer to the enquiries section of web site.

By a Direction issued by the Department for Transport on 24 January 2008 (replacing previous directions issued in 1991, 2004 and 2005).

This page last edited 28 January 2008