Thames Estuary The new airport would be built on a man-made island in the estuary north of Minster-in-Sheppey There is also some discussion about the need for a Lower Thames Crossing in order to alleviate traffic congestion at Dartford. The Thames Estuary is the focal part of the 21st-century toponym, the "Thames Gateway", designated as one of the principal development areas in Southern England. The appellation Greater Thames Estuary applies to the coast and the low-lying lands bordering the estuary itself. These are characterised by the presence of mudflats, low-lying open beaches and salt marshes, namely the North Kent Marshes and the
Grand Codroy Estuary estuary since 1974. The estuary consists of adjoining marine and intertidal habitats with an elevation no more than one metre. Four islands are located within the estuary, and the intertidal sandbars give way to mudflats "supporting rich growths of Zostera". The site is surrounded by cultivated grasslands. The marine area is shallow, at most two metres deep in intertidal areas, and somewhat deeper in the river channel. It is bounded by privately owned land, the Codroy Valley Provincial Park, and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Nearby are the Grand Codroy and Little Codroy rivers, which are popular fishing destinations. The