Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange

Overview

The Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange (HNRFI) decision has been delayed to 10 March 2025 by the Secretary of State for Transport. The Secretary of State is minded to refuse the application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) and has given the developer, Tritax Symmetry, until 10 December 2024 to submit further information. Interested Parties will have until 31 January 2025 to comment on these submissions.

The Secretary of State has published two documents you can read to learn more about this update which are:

  • Secretary of State Minded to Refuse Letter (explains why the application may be refused
  • Recommendation Report (advice from the Planning Inspectorate to the Secretary of State)

These documents can be found on the Planning Inspectorate’s website using the link at the bottom of this page.

The timescale set out in the Minded to Refuse Letter for Interested Parties to comment on any additional submissions by Tritax Symmetry was amended by the Department for Transport on 23 September. They wrote to the Council to confirm that Interested Parties will be given more time, until 31 January 2025, to comment on any of the Applicant’s further submissions. This letter and the Council's examination submissions have been collated on our planning applications web page and can be viewed by using the HNRFI's dedicated reference 22/3000/HNRFI.

What is the HNRFI?

A proposed multi-purpose freight interchange and distribution centre southwest of Elmesthorpe and next to Burbage Common. It is predominantly within the boundary of Blaby District with a section of the new A47 link road within the boundary of Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council. The proposals include:

  • New rail infrastructure providing access to a series of parallel sidings
  • Intermodal freight terminal 'railport' capable of accommodating up to 16 trains per day of up to 775 meters in length
  • Hard surfaced areas for container storage
  • Up to 850,000 square meters of warehousing and ancillary buildings with a total footprint of 650,000 square meters and up to 200,000 square meters of mezzanine floorspace
  • Lorry park with welfare facilities and fuel filling station
  • Energy centre incorporating an electricity substation, a gas-fired combined heat and power plant, battery capacity and roof-mounted photovoltaic arrays 
  • Terrain remodelling, hard and soft landscape works, amenity water features and planting
  • Noise attenuation measures consisting of acoustic barriers up to 6 meters in height
  • Pedestrian, equestrian and cycle access routes and infrastructure
  • M69 update works including additional northbound and southbound slip roads
  • Link road from M69 junction 2 to the B4668/A47 Leicester Road
Timeline

 

Event Date
Formal consultation 12 January to 8 April 2022
First submission 6 February 2023
Withdrawal 2 March 2023
Resubmission 17 March 2023
Acceptance for examination 13 April 2023
Pre-examination 14 April 2023 to 12 September 2023
Examination 12 September 2023 to 12 March 2024
Recommendation report sent to Secretary of State 10 June 2024
Decision delayed, Secretary of State Minded to Refuse Letter and recommendation Report published 10 September 2024
Department for Transport confirmed new deadline for Interested Parties 23 September 2024
Applicant's deadline for submission of further information 10 December 2024
Deadline for Interested Parties to comment on the Applicant's submissions 31 January 2025
Revised deadline for Secretary of State's decision 10 March 2025

 

The Council's objections at examination

In the early stages of the HNRFI's examination the Council submitted a Local Impact Report (describing likely technical impacts) and a Written Representation (explaining the Council's views). In its closing submission to the examination, the Council outlined its key outstanding concerns, urging the Secretary of State to refuse the application. Further details of the Council’s position at the closing of the examination can be found in a dedicated press release.

The Secretary of State's Letter, 10 September 2024

For the reasons stated in her letter, the Secretary of State considers that she is not yet in a position to decide whether to accept the Examining Authority’s (ExA’s) recommendation to refuse consent for the HNRFI. However, she is minded to refuse consent unless the Applicant can provide further evidence to demonstrate how the following issues can be addressed to her satisfaction:

  • The safety concerns raised in respect of the M1 J21/ M69 J3 (Junction 15) and the lack of adequate modelling at this junction
  • The increased highway safety risk at Sapcote
  • The impact on disabled pedestrians at the Narborough Level Crossing
  • The potential harm to the occupiers of the Aston Firs Travellers' site

The Applicant has also been asked to comment on:

  • The ExA's revised Sustainable Transport Strategy
  • The ExA's suggested amendments to the HGV Route and Management Plan
  • The submissions of Dr Moore and Mr Moore relating to the noise assessments
  • Concerns relating to plot 73 and the potential for harmful effects from the construction and adjoining phases on occupiers who have yet to move out
Book of Reference

A 'Book of Reference' sets out who has been identified as having a legal interest in land within the project boundary or in a location that may be affected by the HNRFI. The Applicant has provided a physical copy of the Book of Reference which can be viewed during our normal opening hours at Blaby District Council’s Offices. An electronic version can be found on the Planning Inspectorate’s website using the external link below.

Downloads
Last updated 27 November 2024
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