Port of Tilbury expansion DCO corrections January 2026

Big projects rely on precise words. The government has issued a correction to the Port of Tilbury (Expansion) Order 2019-the legal permission known as a Development Consent Order (DCO) for Tilbury2. The correction was made on 8 January 2026 and takes effect on 9 January 2026, signed on the Secretary of State’s authority by Natasha Kopala at the Department for Transport. For transparency, the original 2019 DCO is on legislation.gov.uk and the correction is listed by the Inner Temple Library from that source. (legislation.gov.uk)

If you’ve not met a correction order before, here’s the rulebook. Schedule 4 to the Planning Act 2008 lets the Secretary of State fix an error or omission in a DCO, so long as the request arrives within the six‑week legal challenge window and the local planning authority is told. That is what happened here. (legislation.gov.uk)

First, policing terms are cleaned up. The 2019 order now uses “Police Constable” consistently and ties that definition to section 154 of the 1968 Act, the law under which the port company appoints constables for Tilbury. This reduces the risk of mixing up port police with other constables in statute. (pla.co.uk)

Second, a small but practical fix on infrastructure: where the order’s text previously referred to a “water intake”, it now correctly says “water outfall”. That matters for permits and design drawings, because regulators treat intakes and outfalls differently.

Third, the highways powers are stated more clearly. The order now spells out that there can be permanent stopping up of, and provision of, new highways and private means of access, and the schedule heading is updated to match. If you live or work nearby, this speaks to how old routes are closed and replacement routes are created within the consent boundary, not to acquiring extra land or expanding beyond the 2019 consent.

Fourth, there are tidy‑ups to cross‑references and wording. Article 4 now points to section 5A(1) on the company’s general duties and powers, a capital “C” returns to “Company” where needed, and article 41(3) adds the word “significant” to make the threshold for change clearer. In Schedule 2, paragraph 11 now reads “constructed and/or operated”, and a redundant sub‑paragraph is removed.

What this means: the development consent itself does not grow. The original decision remains in force; the text is simply treated as corrected from the date the correction takes effect. This keeps enforcement, safety and operational duties on a sound legal footing without reopening the planning judgement. (legislation.gov.uk)

Quick glossary for your notes. Development Consent Order (DCO): a single permission for nationally significant infrastructure, made by the Secretary of State. Correction order: a short statutory instrument used to fix minor drafting errors within six weeks, with notice to the local planning authority. Stopping up: the legal closure of a public highway. Outfall: the pipe or channel where treated water is discharged. Port police constable: an officer appointed under the 1968 Act to police the port and nearby area. (legislation.gov.uk)

For comparison, this isn’t unusual. The A122 Lower Thames Crossing DCO also needed a correction order in September 2025 to adjust definitions and references after the main consent was made. (legislation.gov.uk)

If you’re researching this for class or local interest, start by reading the 2019 Tilbury2 order and then the 2026 correction on legislation.gov.uk to see how law is amended neatly. Keep in mind this correction is separate from any future “Tilbury3” proposals that Thurrock Council handles under ordinary planning rules. (legislation.gov.uk)