Call for continued action to defeat rail freight plans

THE BATTLE is over but the war is far from won – that s the view of the action group set up to fight plans for a rail freight depot in Park Street. And with no doubt at all that Helioslough will go to appeal over the application, possibly as early as Octo

THE BATTLE is over but the war is far from won - that's the view of the action group set up to fight plans for a rail freight depot in Park Street.

And with no doubt at all that Helioslough will go to appeal over the application, possibly as early as October, STRiFE - Stop The Rail Freight Exchange - is keen that objectors should not sit on their laurels.

St Albans planners unanimously turned down Helio-slough's second application to develop Radlett Airfield with 3.5 million sq ft of warehousing and associated rail, road and other infrastructure last month.

The scheme also includes the building of a Park Street relief road and land put by for a country park.

Councillors cited 14 grounds including the impact on the Green Belt and the lack of an adequate alternative sites survey for their decision.

Helioslough has already indicated it would like to see the planning inquiry held as early as October 20 but the district council is refusing to be pushed into that date if it is not ready.

Cathy Bolshaw, campaign co-ordinator for STRiFE, said: "We haven't heard anything yet regarding a confirmed date for the start of the inquiry but we think it will be towards the end of the year. To that end the STRiFE team is working tirelessly preparing our case to present to the inquiry.

"We are meeting TfL next week and have other meetings arranged to enable us to gain the evidence that is required to fight this again, even more robustly than last time. We will see this off, once and for all.