Government refuses plans for £750m railway hub

Controversial plans for a £750m freight rail hub in Leicestershire have been refused by the government.

Developer Tritax Symmetry had wanted to build the Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange (HNRFI) on 662 acres (268 hectares) of farmland between the town and Leicester.

However, on Monday, transport secretary Heidi Alexander refused planning permission for the scheme, ruling its expected benefits were outweighed by the potential negative impacts.

Tritax, which said the development would create more than 8,000 jobs, said it was disappointed with the decision and was seeking legal advice.

The government was given the final decision on the scheme because it was deemed a significant national infrastructure project.

Alexander said she accepted there was a "compelling need" for the development nationally and in south west Leicestershire.

However, she said there were concerns that nearby junctions on the M69 would be unable to cope with an increase in lorrys using the complex.

She also said she was concerned about a "potential highways safety risk" in Sapcote and the impact proposed 775-metre long trains would have at the level crossing at Narborough.

Councils and MPs who opposed the development have welcomed the decision.

Leicestershire County Council's cabinet member for highways and transport Ozzy O'Shea said: "This is a landmark day.

"Whilst we are not against the principle of a rail freight interchange, any proposal must be supported by appropriate infrastructure to mitigate its impacts on our communities and highway and transport network.

"Unfortunately, this was not the case with this proposal."

South Leicestershire MP Alberto Costa said: "All the hard work of campaigners has paid off."

A Tritax spokesperson said: "We are seeking legal advice on the next steps available to us and will review our position when that advice is received.

"We remain committed to delivering critical supply chain infrastructure that is key to the UK economy, with rail freight connectivity a key driver of the modal shift in the sector."

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