In a recent public meeting on the proposed Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange I called on the Planning Inspectorate to not recommend this application to the Secretary of State for Transport.
Whether it is concerns over modelling on employment and traffic levels, missing information or a lack of adequate time for legal consultees to carry out detailed assessments, the developer, Tritax Symmetry, have appeared to dodge and duck key questions throughout this whole process.
Currently, people in our area do not feel that this process is happening with their concerns in mind. They feel it is being foist upon them by a developer who didn’t even care enough to put out seats for older residents struggling to stand for long periods of time. I know this as many in our area complained about the public consultation, which I followed up with formal complaints.
From the public consultations to these recent hearings, instead of engaging with our community Tritax Symmetry have appeared to show disregard for our concerns and the impact this will have on our environment and infrastructure.
I know one of the most concerning issues to people in the surrounding area is the impact this massive rail hub may have on our beloved Burbage Common and Woods, which borders on the proposed site. Since I moved here four years ago, I have enjoyed many walks around Burbage Common with my two whippets, Roux and Ada, coffee and cake stops at Acorns and conversations with people who are passionate about this local greenspace.
Lorries thunder through narrow streets, we have one of the country’s most bashed bridges on the A5 causing hours of delay and our villages are used at rat runs. I believe our roads simply can’t take this further burden.
I know this long, drawn out process feels like Groundhog Day for many people in our area who have been following the proposed HNRFI since it was first muted in a scoping exercise in 2018. But we must not lose sight of what’s at risk.
All the legal consultees, from councils to National Highways, have raised concerns that they are lacking the information they need to properly assess the impact the development would have on local infrastructure. I, therefore, have real concerns that a decision might be made based upon poor assumptions.
I am worried, if the proposal does go ahead, there is a risk that our roads become even more chaotic, an industrial shadow looms over parts of Burbage Common and noise levels may reach a new high. This proposal does not put us on a path to progress; it risks even more congestion and chaos.
I will continue to support residents, to ensure our Local Authorities have the information they need to support their work on this and raise our concerns with the Planning Inspectorate. You can find details of my work on this here: Updates on the Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange proposals | Dr Luke Evans MP
As I said to the Planning Inspectorate, if they cannot be sure that the national benefit of this Rail Freight Interchange fully outweighs the horrific impact it will have on our community, both in its build and operation, then they must recommend this application does not go ahead.
