Grave doubts as 2,000 people respond to MP’s rail hub survey
Almost 80% of 1,981 people opposed to massive development
RESIDENTS have “grave doubts” about plans to build a huge rail port outside Hinckley, an MP’s survey has found.
The vast majority of people who responded to Alberto Costa, MP for South Leicestershire, raised major concerns about the impact of the Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange (HNRFI) on infrastructure and the environment.
The top politician received 1,981 completed surveys from the 11,000 he sent out to constituents in Aston Flamville, Croft, Elmeshorpe, Huncote, Potters Marston, Sapcote, Sharnford, Stoney Stanton, Thurlaston and Wigston Parva.
He has pledged to raise the concerns of residents in the House of Commons about the proposed 440-acre site between the M69 and the Leicester to Birmingham railway line.
The scheme would include 850,000 square metres of buildings and operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Mr Costa said: “Almost 80 per cent of constituents stated they were opposed to the rail hub plans. This clearly underlines the strength of feeling residents have to what would be a particularly large development.
“Respondents were also clear that the development would detrimentally affect many of the identities of the Fosse villages, and they also outlined their concerns about the potential environmental impact, especially with the proximity of the lovely Burbage Common.
“I will continue working closely with the brilliant local councillors for the area to oppose these plans, and fully intend to raise my constituents’ concerns in Parliament in order to ensure that their views and opinions are being heard at the very highest levels.”
Blaby District councillor Sheila Scott said: “The results of survey showed that a majority of people have grave doubts about the proposal and have concerns about the impact that the proposals will have on the local infrastructure and environment.
“It is good to see that Alberto Costa MP will be writing to the relevant Secretary of State to express the concerns that the residents have had over the proposals, given that it is the Planning Inspector that decides on any application submitted, not Blaby District Council.”
Residents recently viewed proposed highways developments to reduce the impact of the huge project, as part of a second round of consultations ran by developer DB Symmetry.
The hub would be serviced by a new sliproad on Junction 2 of the motorway, with many residents and councillors raising concerns during the first round of consultations about the traffic impact on villages and other main roads in the area.
The new options presented by developer DB Symmetry include building a link road from Junction 2 through the site and over the railway line up to Leicester Road, which it would join near the sports clubs outside Hinckley.
An Eastern Villages Link was also proposed, which would either go between Stoney Stanton and Sapcote, from Stanton Lane to Broughton Road, or south of Sapcote from Hinckley Road to Sharnford Road.
All three of the roads would be 3.7m-wide single carriageway routes.
The scheme has attracted widespread opposition from the district and parish councils in the area.
Councillor Stuart Bray, who was recently elected leader of the now Liberal Democrat-controlled Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, said he will continue the authority’s opposition to the proposals.
He said: “We are going to oppose as strongly as we can the depot, because it’s going to have a detrimental impact on Burbage Common and local roads.
“We could end up with a rail freight depot operating 24/7. We all know how bad the roads are, especially in Burbage; this will only make things worse.”
More information is available on the HNRFI website.