Jobs hope as massive rail terminal is mooted for site close to airport

A MASSIVE rail freight terminal could be built near East Midlands Airport.

The 272-acre site is one of three suggested by North-West Leicestershire District Council for the scheme, which would form part of its development plan for 2011 onwards.

It says the site, the size of about 130 football pitches, would create jobs but that the plan is not linked to the airport's application for a runway extension.

But many people in nearby Castle Donington, Hemington, Lockington and Kegworth say the scheme would devastate countryside and cause traffic and pollution problems.

Residents have now formed a protest group called NO AMBUSH (Additional Megastructure Buildings Unnecessarily Sited Here).

Group member John Norton, who is also chairman of Lockington-Hemington Parish Council, urged people to write to the district council to object.

He said: "The action group has identified far more suitable sites in and around the county which are existing industrial parks.

"The terminal will mean house values will go down, congestion on the M1 will increase, and light pollution will create 24-hour daylight in the area."

A council public consultation into the development plan ends on February 13.

The authority said the site near the airport was one of three in the district being considered for a terminal.

Others were at Sawley crossroads, near junction 24a of the M1, and east of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, at the junction of the A511 and A42.

A council spokeswoman said: "There's a requirement in the regional plan for a strategic rail interchange.

"Three possible sites have been put forward."

She said it was too early to say how many jobs the site could create.

News of the proposal comes as East Midlands Airport awaits a decision on an extension to its runway, which would allow planes to take off with larger cargos.

Its planning application for the 190m increase is likely to be heard at a public meeting by North-West Leicestershire District Council, on March 3.

The extension would bring the runway's length to 2,890m.

An airport spokeswoman said it would wait until the end of the public consultation to comment on the rail terminal.

But Neil Robinson, airport environmental manager, moved to reassure residents that a longer runway would not mean more take-offs or larger planes using the airport.

He said: "People living near the site will not notice any difference.

"The proposal was put forward because the largest aircraft on the site are limited on the weight they can carry to take off.

"This would just mean that the largest aircraft would be able to take-off slightly heavier."

But Steve Charlish, chairman of Demand East Midlands Airport is Now Designated – a campaign group which wants East Midlands under Government control – said his members were concerned.

He said: "We believe that the runway extension will bring larger and noisier aircraft to the site."