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Row over massive road-rail site goes to public inquiry

15th November 2007
Page 14
Page 14, 15th November 2007 — Row over massive road-rail site goes to public inquiry
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The inquiry follows an appeal against the refusal of planning permission for a road-rail interchange in Hertfordshire. Chris Tindall reports.

A PUBLIC INQUIRY is to decide whether a massive road-rail freight interchange may be built on greenbelt land in Hertfordshire.

Property developer Helioslough is appealing against St Albans District Council's refusal to grant $anning permission to redevelop 172 hectares of land on the site of the former Radlett aerodrome.

Representing the company, Martin Kingston QC said a further 247 hectares would be developed is a country park and forest for the public. He claimed the plans have the backing of the Department for Transport, Transport for London and Network Rail.

"It's important to consider the application in its entirety," Kingston added. -It's an application for a Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) and a country park. It would not be appropriate, fair or lawful to assess the two elements separately.There must be a transfer of freight from road to rail in order to relieve congestion and tackle the environmental impact of road travel."

Helioslough says no alternative sites have been suggested by any objectors However, Paul Stinchcombe, representing local community group Strife, described the proposals as a "pre-emptive, speculative leap in the dark".

He told the inquiry: "There is opposition in particular to the destruction of 172 hectares of green belt and the development of five huge warehouses. Removal [of the green belt] would join St Albans to Radlett and outer London."

Stinchcombe claims that 3,000 LGV movements a day would be routed onto the A4 I 4, which is already heavily congested, because the Highways Agency has denied direct access to the nearby M25 on safety grounds.

The inquiry is scheduled to take six weeks.

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