Council steps up fight against rail freight hub
Burbage Parish Council calling on people to have say
RESIDENTS are being urged to make their voices heard in the latest round of public consultation events on plans to build a National Rail Freight Interchange close to Burbage Common.
The Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange, proposed by dbsymmetry, would include:
■ Industrial and storage/distribution units
■ A rail port and lorry park
■ Dedicated road access directly from Junction 2 of the M69 and associated highway works
■ Landscaping including footpath and cycle links
Burbage Parish Council is unanimous in opposing the plans but is calling on everyone concerned to add their comments while they have the chance, to add weight to the fight against what would be the largest development ever to be built in this area.
Several exhibitions outlining the plans are to be staged by dbsymmetry, including one at Burbage Methodist Church on Windsor Street on Saturday August 10 from 10am to 2pm, as part of a public consultation exercise which runs until September 6.
The proposed hub, close to Junction 2 of the M69, to the north-east of Burbage, would include up to 13.71 hectares (about 33 acres) of land for the construction of a rail terminal for the loading and unloading of freight trains.
An additional 850,000 square metres (about 9.1 million square feet) would be used for high bay storage and logistics buildings.
The developers, who staged an initial display in Burbage Millennium Hall last year, are currently gauging public opinion on highways issues and options for off-site highways improvements beyond the main proposed Freight Interchange.
Because of its size, the project is classed a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, which requires an application directly to the Government’s Planning Inspectorate.
While all local authorities, including the parish xouncil, will be consulted, an appointed panel will examine the proposals on behalf of the Secretary of State, so it is therefore essential that as many residents as possible take the opportunity to put their views forward as well.
Burbage Parish Council Chairman Paul Williams said: “The council is deeply concerned about the huge environmental impact this will have on Burbage Common and the local area.
“Traffic in our village is already congested and a development of this scale, added to the new DPD site being built along the A5, will only add to traffic in the area.
“One option is to provide a link road from the proposed site to Leicester Road, which, together with tall warehouse buildings to its southern boundary, will effectively turn Burbage Common from a countryside park into urban parkland.
“The council urges as many people as possible to take part in this consultation and review the detail of the plan.”
Details of other public consultation events and information to be presented at them will be available to view on the developer’s website www.hinckleynrfi. co.uk until September 6 this year.
A further, formal consultation exercise is due to be held towards the end of the year.