Close to billion pounds private investment for strategic project

BY Liza Helps Property Editor Logistics Matters

IN SEPTEMBER last year the Secretary of State for Transport indicated that she was minded to refuse the application for a development consent  order as the developer had not provided enough information and analysis concerning increased road traffic and its  subsequent effect on the surrounding villages and  other traffic junctions as well as, ‘the effect [of the development] on the landscape and visual receptors, effects from noise and vibration, the loss of a small quantity of the best and most versatile agricultural land and effects on air quality as well as some cumulative effects’.

While the Secretary of State did not  refuse the DCO, the deadline  for a decision was  extended to 10 March 2025 giving time for all parties to make further representations because as the Secretary of State made clear ‘there are a number of benefits, some of which are substantial, associated with the Proposed Development.

‘Benefits include meeting the need for strategic rail freight interchanges generally and specifically in the Leicestershire area, job opportunities and wider economic benefits, the positive effect on biodiversity, lowering greenhouse gas emissions and additional energy production.’

Tritax has spent the best part of a decade bringing forward these proposals and its most recent submission  sent to the Secretary of State this week includes information on road and traffic improvement including redesigned highways schemes to include new southern slip roads for Junction 2 of the M69 motorway, making the junction fully accessible for both northbound and southbound traffic, a new link road between the junction and the A47, alleviating traffic from Hinckley and Burbage, improvement of road junctions near the development. These have been backed up by extensive independent Road Safety Audits on highways designs, and the  provision of additional funding for Network Rail to improve facilities.

In a statement from Tritax Big Box Developments the project was  referred to as a ‘once in a generation opportunity to deliver a major infrastructure project, which has rail freight, sustainability and economic growth at its core’ adding that when complete,  HNRFI is projected to generate between £329million and £406million per year in Gross Value Added to the UK economy.

Importantly, the whole scheme will be funded privately requiring no  support from Government and ultimately the tax payer.

Tritax Big Box Developments Managing Director Andrew Dickman said: “Few developers have the funding, capability and expertise to deliver a project of this scale and complexity. We are fully committed to the project in the knowledge of the major economic and social benefits it will bring to the country’s future economic prosperity, and its impact on growth in the wider UK economy.”

Dickman continued: “We’re pleased to provide further information to assist the Secretary of State in making her decision on the development, and have made a number of significant improvements, including committing additional funding for key areas highlighted in the Examining Authority’s recommendation report. This project is very much in line with the Government’s understanding of the value private investment into infrastructure in the UK economy and would boost the government’s growth agenda.

“We have worked diligently to design a project which will improve connectivity, create investment, alleviate road congestion and create a sustainable development which will benefit Leicestershire. HNRFI is the first development of its kind to have signed up a Rail Freight Terminal operator, Maritime Group, before a DCO has been granted.”

Maritime Group, signed an exclusive agreement with Tritax Big Box Developments to develop, lease and operate a 40-acre Strategic Rail Freight Interchange which once operational will be capable of handling 16 trains per day removing more than 83 million HGV miles from the UK road network. The significant volume of goods switched from road to rail could save around 70,120 tonnes of CO₂ each year.

Should the project get the go-ahead it would generate up to 8,000 new jobs of all skills levels.

The proposals  have proved controversial with both South Leicestershire MP Alberto Costa and Hinckley and Bosworth MP Luke Evans coming out against it supported by a vociferous campaign group.

The submission comes a week after Government outlined a series of major infrastructure initiatives aimed at revitalising UK plc.