South Leicestershire MP Alberto Costa and a group of Leicestershire councillors were in Westminster to present a petition to urge the government to stop Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange. The petition, was first presented to 10 Downing Street before Alberto Costa read the petition in the House of Commons and presented it to Parliament later that evening.
Mr Costa was joined by: Cllr Terry Richardson (leader of Blaby District Council), Cllr Ben Taylor, Cllr Mike Shirley, Cllr Maggie Wright and Cllr Richard Allen.
The petition was initiated and signed by a group of local residents and in a 2023 parliamentary survey from Alberto Costa, 1,549 South Leicestershire Constituents expressed support for the petition.
Due to the size of the proposal from Tritax Symmetry, it is considered a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. This means that local authorities are bypassed for deciding if it goes ahead and the final decision is made by the Secretary of State for Transport.
The petition, presented by South Leicestershire MP Alberto Costa, urges the Government to oppose granting development consent for Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange, a proposed 440-acre logistics hub in South Leicestershire.
The petition declares that "the construction of Hinckley National Rail Freight interchange goes against the wishes of some constituents in South Leicestershire, and further, notes the potential detrimental impact it may have on the local environment, infrastructure and surrounding communities.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to take into account the concerns of the petitioners and take immediate action to ensure that the Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange is not built."
Alberto Costa said: "In an area with more than its fair share of warehouses, logistics parks, and new housing, my constituents, have overwhelmingly spoken out against the proposed development. I know many in Hinckley and Bosworth feel the same too.
The final decision rests with the Government but I will continue to do everything I can to ensure the voices of my constituents are heard, and based on the response to my survey and from conversations I have had, they are overwhelmingly opposed to it. This petition puts their views directly to the Government.
I am grateful to the local councillors, particularly in Conservative-led Blaby District council, for their work in scrutinising this proposal and demonstrating that, in its current form, it is not an acceptable proposal for the people of Leicestershire."
Cllr Terry Richardson, Leader of Blaby District Council Said: "The information on which to make a balance judgement has just not been provided. This inspection should be halted immediately and the applicant should be asked to withdraw the application until such time as they have the appropriate information and they can consult with residents properly."
