THE second railfreight planning application has generated even more opposition than the first one, district council leader Robert Donald has told the inquiry.
He said: “One might have thought residents would meet this second planning application with resignation.
“But there have been far more objections, from a wider area, setting out a greater range of reasons.
“This proposal will change the character of St Albans and the district for ever.
“It will create a precedent for further development of the Green Belt.
“St Albans will find itself part of Greater London by 2020.
“There will be concrete and Tarmac all the way from Regent Street to Harpenden Road.
“This development is supposed to be environmentally friendly by taking freight off the roads.
“Unfortunately it does the very opposite by putting lorries, and associated vehicles such as enployees' cars, on the roads.”
He said Helioslough's original case that the Government needed large railfreight terminals had been undermined by the recent approval of several similar projects in other parts of the Home Counties.
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