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Battle continues over plans for St Albans road-rail site
Page 18
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Residents near the Hertfordshire site are applauding the district council's
decision — but the developer intends to appeal. David Harris reports.
PLANS TO BUILD a massive road-rail interchange on a disused airfield near St Albans stalled last week after they were rejected by the local authority.
But developer HelioSlough plans to appeal to central government and to go ahead with its plans for the 325,000m terminal at Radlett (CM 8 February).
The proposals include five 20m-high warehouses and space for up to 617 trucks and 1,665 cars.
Hundreds of local residents cheered the decision by St Albans District Council last week, although HelioSlough says it is confident that the local authority's decision will be overturned by the Department of Communities and Local Government.
According to the HelioSlough spokesman: "We're obviously disappointed but we have six months to appeal and are confident that the area needs a centre such as this. The pressure to get freight off the roads and onto the rail system means that in the end we should be successful. There is a national priority for transferring freight from roads to rail. so sites like this are going to be needed and this is a perfect place.
"Our overall objective is to get goods to market and reduce road-freight mileage as much as possible," he explains.
Local residents opposing the scheme say it would worsen congestion in St Albans, devalue local property and handle hazardous loads. They have organised a lobby group called STRIFE (Stop the Rail Freight Exchange), which has a we bsite at www..strife.biz HelioSlough admits that the objectors have set its plans back by 18 months to two years, even if the appeal is successful.