Public urged to speak up about proposed rail hub

Hinckley and Bosworth residents are being urged to take part and provide feedback in the latest series of public consultation events on plans to build a National Rail Freight Interchange.

The proposed site is to the north-east of Hinckley - in Blaby District – and will be based close to Junction 2 of the M69 to the side of Burbage Common.

The Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange is proposed to 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

The proposals state that up to 13.71 hectares (equivalent to 33 acres) of level land would be used for the construction of a rail terminal for the loading and unloading of freight trains. An additional 850,000 square metres (equivalent to 9.1 million square feet) would be required for high bay storage and logistics buildings.

Developers DB Symmetry are now consulting members of the public on highways issues and options for off-site highways improvements outside the main proposed Freight Interchange site as part of a pre-application community consultation that runs until 6 September.

The project is considered to be a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, which requires an application to the Planning Inspectorate. While the Borough Council will act as a statutory consultee in the process, it will not be responsible for determining the application.

The developer has arranged consultation sessions on the following dates:

• Monday 29 July, 4pm to 8pm, St Francis Community Centre, Tudor Road, Hinckley, LE10 0EQ
• Wednesday 31 July, 10am to 2pm, The George Ward Centre, Church Lane, Barwell, LE9 8DG
• Saturday 3 August, 10am to 2pm, Elmesthorpe Village Hall, Wilkinson Lane, Elmesthorpe, LE9 7SP
• Saturday 3 August, 4pm to 8pm, Sapcote Methodist Church, 39 Leicester Road, Sapcote, LE9 4JE
• Wednesday 7 August, 12:30pm to 6:30pm, Stoney Stanton Village Hall, 1 New Road, Stoney Stanton, LE9 4LQ
• Saturday 10 August, 10am to 2pm, Burbage Methodist Church, Windsor St, Burbage, LE10 2EF

Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council Leader Stuart Bray said:

I urge as many people as possible to take part in this consultation and review the fine detail of the consultation plan and documents. One of the traffic mitigation options is to provide a link road from the proposed site to Leicester Road. This will effectively mean motorway traffic running directly adjacent to the Common. I am deeply concerned about the huge environmental impact this will have on Burbage Common and the local area and I know this will concern other people. The Borough Council remains firmly committed to opposing these plans.

For those unable to attend one of the events, all materials from the exhibitions are available to view on DB Symmetry’s website until 6 September 2019.