New details have emerged for the controversial proposed rail hub planned for 440 acres of land near a Leicestershire town. In September, former Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh said she was “minded to refuse” the £750 million Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange (HNRFI), but offered developer Tritax Symmetry the opportunity to submit additional information in support of the scheme.
The company has now sent its response to the Department of Transport covering concerns previously raised by the planning inspectorate’s examining authority, including the impact on Sapcote of HGVs travelling through the village, and potential issues at junctions on the M1 and M69. A decision on the plans is due to be made in March by Ms Haigh’s successor, Heidi Alexander, following a year-long public examination of the scheme by the planning inspectorate.
The documents submitted by lawyers Eversheds Sutherlands on behalf of Tritax include responses to Ms Haigh’s comments on the plans, as well as some amendments, such as proposals for a new public right of way through the site. The developer has also suggested a number of “enhancements” in Sapcote in addition to a previously mooted zebra crossing, including improvements to the pedestrian area outside the Co-Op, footway widening and moving the bus stop from in front of the Co-Op further east along the B4669.
READ MORE: Third major housing scheme for town takes significant step forward
Other issues addressed by the documents include the potential impact on the Narborough level crossing, the Aston Firs Travellers Site and Desford Crossroads. Interested parties now have until Friday, February 7, to read through the new information and send their comments to Ms Alexander. If the scheme goes ahead, nine warehouses and a rail terminal will be built, as well as a new access road to the M69. Tritax says it will create more than 8,000 jobs, and will generate £24m a year in business rates.
In the submission, Tritax defended the rail hub proposal, saying the site was chosen as the result of a “robust alternative site analysis”, and said it is the only possible location for a hub “within the market area”. “The scheme will provide considerable national and regional benefits, including moving freight by rail to and from our major ports, particularly Felixstowe and London Gateway, vital for trade.” The documents add: “The residual local impacts of HNRFI are very clearly outweighed by its extensive and nationally significant benefits.”
But the proposed hub has proved controversial, with responses to the public examination fearing the “concreting” of the countryside and calling the proposal a “monstrosity”. Last week, two Leicestershire MPs revealed they had written to the Transport Secretary raising “serious concerns” about the impact the hub will have on residents.
Heidi Alexander will make a decision on the plans next year
(Image: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Alberto Costa, MP for South Leicestershire and Dr Luke Evans, who represents Hinckley and Bosworth, said their letter highlighted “overwhelming opposition” to the scheme, with a survey carried out by Mr Costa’s office finding 94.5 per cent of respondents were in opposition to it. Mr Costa said it would have a “devastating impact” on his constituents.
He claimed the hub would “push many areas to breaking point”, as well as damaging the environment and causing “significant disruption” to local communities. He added: “The Government must listen to local residents, take heed of the planning inspectorate’s findings, and reject these deeply flawed and ill-conceived plans once and for all. I strongly urge [Ms Alexander] to give serious weight to the overwhelming opposition of local people and to address the clear and unresolved issues identified in the inspectorate’s report.”
Dr Evans said: “It’s as clear to me as it is to the public that the local impact of the proposed Hinckley NRFI far outweigh any proposed national benefits, especially when considering the many concerns around the information and the basis being used to justify the proposal.”
He urged people who had registered as interested parties with the planning inspectorate to “respond to the new information”, and send their thoughts to the enquiry before the deadline. He also called on Ms Alexander to take the “same view” as her predecessor on the scheme.
Speaking previously, development director for Tritax Symmetry, Nick Payne, said: “HNRFI is about investing in Leicestershire, the environment and the future. Our plan will deliver thousands of jobs, new apprenticeships and skills development as well as huge carbon savings by taking HGVs off local roads.
“Over the past few years, we’ve undertaken three rounds of consultation, issued thousands of letters to local communities, held a number of face-to-face meetings and spoken with businesses, politicians and community groups and we will continue to engage as our plans progress.”
The new information submitted by Tritax can be found on the planning inspectorate’s website, and comments about it should be sent to the following email address before Friday, February 7: HinckleySRFI@planninginspectorate.gov.uk
We are now bringing you the latest updates on WhatsApp first