CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a national railfreight super-hub on greenbelt land in Lanarkshire have been given the seal of approval by Scottish Ministers, despite protests from local residents.
Mossend International Railfreight Park (MIRP) in Bellshill will go ahead after ministers overturned a unanimous ruling by Labour-run North Lanarkshire council to block an expansion by family logistics firm, PD Stirling.
Although the project was backed by council officials who argued the potential economic benefits for the area outweighed the loss of the greenbelt land, planning permission was unanimously rejected by councillors in September last year after they were inundated by complaints from local residents. Some 1,200 lodged objections claiming the noise, pollution and disturbance from the £260 million development at Carnbroe Road would have an unacceptably detrimental effect on their quality of life and erase Bellshill's last significant area of open space.
Labour councillor for Bellshill, Harry McGuigan, said the plans were "too invasive, too intrusive and based on speculative assessment”.
But bosses at PD Stirling were triumphant yesterday after Scottish Ministers quashed the ruling.
Director David Stirling said the hub would attract new investment and economic activity to Lanarkshire and Scotland.
He added: “We recognise that there has been some local concern but are looking forward to working with residents to put in place locally supported management for the proposed community woodland which will include walkways, woodlands and cycle routes.”
Trees and paths for walking and cycling will cover about 39 per cent of the freight site as "community greenspace".
The state-of-the-art facility is expected to create 2,700 jobs - plus another 2,200 during construction.
It will be able to accommodate a new class of 2,500ft-long electric trains on a daily basis, significantly increase the volume of goods Scotland can transport by rail to UK and European markets.
The shift to railfreight will also drive down carbon dioxide emissions and congestion on local roads, by cutting HGV traffic.
PD Stirling was established in 1870 using horse-drawn carriages, and is run today by the great-grandsons of founder, Elphinstone Stirling. It currently runs Mossend Railhead depot, beside the Eurocentral industrial estate in Lanarkshire.
Critics urged the firm to use vacant land there instead, but PD Stirling said it was not large enough for the development.
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said MIRP was essential to shifting freight from road to rail.
He added: "Mossend, along with Coatbridge and Grangemouth, is identified as an important interchange in the Central Belt.
“Ministers welcome the potential economic benefits of the proposal as well as the opportunity to enhance transport and green infrastructure in the local area.”
A spokeswoman for North Lanarkshire council said: “We have received notice of the appeal decision, and are reviewing the implications before deciding on our next course of action.”
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