SEGRO finally secures Radlett strategic rail freight interchange

By Liza Helps Property Editor Logistics Matters

The listed property company bought the 1,035-acre aerodrome in the Upper Colne Valley, Hertfordshire from Hertfordshire County Council, Tarmac Plc and Gorhambury Estates Company bringing all three land holdings making up the site under one ownership.

The site will be developed into a strategic rail freight interchange supported by up to 3.6 million ft2 of modern, sustainable logistics warehousing, including ancillary B1 (office, light industrial, research and development) and B2 (general industrial) warehouses.

SEGRO has been involved with the site in one form or another since 2008. The battle to secure planning has been extremely controversial with St Albans Council, local MPs and campaigners, taking a strong stance against the development leading to a variety of legal battles and judicial reviews.

The latest one being to secure a judicial review against Hertfordshire Council’s decision to sell the land. Councillor Nuala Webb of St Albans Council said campaigners were seeking legal advice to lodge an application for a Judicial Review. “We think the decision is flawed,” she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. "By going to Judicial Review, we hope the outcome will be to stop the sale of the land – and the decision to sell the land will be reversed.

“If the council don’t sell the land then the site cannot be developed. It’s a big step to take […] but we think there are good arguments, and we have a lot of support from MPs and other people.”

SEGRO received planning permission from the Secretary of State for the development, which is recognised by the Government as nationally significant infrastructure that will deliver major benefits on a national, regional and local scale. It will also form a key part of the UK’s modal shift from road to rail and help meet the country’s net-zero ambitions.

Works are expected to start on site in Summer 2023 with the initial focus of this multi-year investment programme focussed on creating the rail connection and preparing the site for development. It is anticipated that the completed scheme will deliver around 4,000 jobs, with a further c. 500 jobs generated on site during construction.

In line with the Company’s Responsible SEGRO commitments to Champion low-carbon growth and Invest in its local communities and environments, the development will incorporate a 610 acre country park surrounding the terminal. The park will include a 10-mile network of footpaths and recreational features including a trim trail, outdoor gym, new children’s play areas, new bird watching hides and a Visitor Interpretation Centre. Over 4,000 trees and 132,000 saplings will be planted, while the local habitat will be enhanced by creating new ponds and nesting sites.

In addition to employment opportunities and environmental considerations, the development will stimulate economic growth and enhance local infrastructure. SEGRO is committed to a significant investment programme to fund new traffic relieving measures, including £22 million to fund a new 1.4-mile stretch of relief road for Park Street / Frogmore to alleviate traffic on the A5183, and it is estimated that the completed scheme will deliver around £12 million each year in business rates.

David Sleath, Chief Executive Officer, SEGRO, said: “The former Radlett Aerodrome site offers a rare opportunity to bring together the economic and environmental benefits of rail freight, provides connectivity to key arteries of the highways network and access to a large pool of employees. The scheme will also benefit the national and local economies, as well as help satisfy the demands of consumers and businesses for the sustainable movement of the goods and services we increasingly rely on in our daily lives.”