A 250-acre freight distribution hub planned for land close to East Midlands Airport will “destroy the area”, campaigners have said. If granted permission, the East Midlands Gateway freight depot will be built on farmland and woodland close to junction 24 of the M1.
Opponents have said the development would cover one of the last remaining green spaces in the area, while developers said the proposed site allowed good access to the network.
Because of the nature of the Roxhill (Kegworth) Limited proposal for the Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI), near Castle Donington, it will be decided by the government. Roxhill said the site was deliberately chosen to meet the government’s own criteria for SRFIs.
The company said the East Midlands Gateway was centrally located – close to the motorway and airport – and had easy access to major eastern and southern UK ports. Its close proximity to Leicester, Derby and Nottingham also ensured job vacancies could be filled.