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Natural England and the Environment Agency have agreed to let the Marine Management Organisation take the helm as lead environmental regulator for Falmouth docks’ expansion.

The major overhaul involves repairing critical dock structures to accommodate larger vessels, including cruise ships.

Closer collaboration between the three government agencies is expected to reduce delays and thus costs for the developer, APCL A&P Falmouth, while still upholding environmental standards.

Any issues that cannot be resolved between the regulators will be escalated to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs’ new infrastructure board to keep the project moving.

Secretary of state for environment, food & rural affairs Emma Reynolds said: “Communities across the country have been let down by a bureaucratic planning system that chokes enterprise, does little for nature and leaves hardworking people waiting for the jobs and investment they deserve.  Having one clear regulator in charge speeds up approvals and helps projects like Falmouth Docks to progress at pace, without compromising our ironclad commitment to the environment. This is a win-win situation for jobs, prosperity and nature.”

 APCL A&P Falmouth managing director, Mike Spicer said: “The acceleration of planning process for development applications like ours will enable us to significantly enhance the services we can offer to our defence, offshore and cruise customers and help fulfil Cornwall’s ambitious floating offshore wind agenda.”

Marine Management Organisation chief executive Michelle Willis said:  “This is an exciting project in Falmouth and one that will showcase how future licensing consent regulations can be applied to enable much-needed transformation and change.”

Set to become fully operational by 2030, the redevelopment of the Docks will increase APCL A&P Falmouth’s defence, cruise, marine and offshore capabilities. Extending the existing Queens Wharf westwards will allow larger vessels to berth – such as Excellence Class cruise ships up to 345 metres long. There will also be new facilities for assembling floating offshore wind power structures. Meanwhile, connecting a disused rail line with new bulk import/export facilities is designed to support Cornish lithium mining and battery manufacturing.

Falmouth Docks joins the Lower Thames Crossing as the latest major UK infrastructure project to benefit from the lead environmental regulator scheme, in support of the government’s drive to streamline the planning process.

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