More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Residents are still in the dark over where a second border facility in Dover will be built.
Speculation over the location began earlier this year after reports that Dover could receive two new border facilities: one for HMRC and another for animal health inspectors from DEFRA.
Plans from the Department for Transport (DfT) are in place for the first HMRC facility at Guston, Whitfield, but have yet to be fully published.
Council leader Trevor Bartlett (Cons) confirmed that there would be a second border facility but said that the location couldn't be revealed due to "commercial sensitivity".
He said: "I think everyone knows now that there are two key border operations for HMRC and the Port of Health and I am pleased to say that the government does listen to local residents' concerns.
"Obviously the facility is now much smaller and less intrusive and will bring more investment into Dover and will also bring jobs.
“The proposed location of the second site cannot be disclosed yet.
"As soon as that has been announced, everyone will hear where that’s going to be..."
"As soon as that has been announced, everyone will hear where that’s going to be. But at the moment we can’t say where it is."
The construction of a border facility in Ashford drew complaints about the lighting from nearby residents who described it as being as bright as Wembley Stadium.
Cllr Edward Briggs (Lab) asked Councillor Bartlett for the location of the second facility to help residents leave if they lived close by.
On residents' concerns Cllr Bartlett said: "It’s an established commercial site and it is not in a residential area, I think it could be very close to where we are at the moment.
"I did check whether I was privy to that information but it’s not been made available to the public."
Concerns were also raised by Cllr Pamela Brivio (Lab) over when the council would implement a new strategy to avoid the "chaos and destruction" HGV congestion caused over the Christmas period.
Responding to the query Cllr Nicholas Kenton (Con) said: "Since the French border closure at the end of 2020, Kent Police operation Merlon has been created.
"This operation creates control points on all major links into the town and far enough away to enable the town to be free from congestion."
