Action group fighting plans for huge rail depot near Northampton put plans on display

The eight million square feet project has caused alarm in neighbouring Blisworth and Milton Malsor, who fear a vast chunk of countryside will be wiped out.

Parish councillors have amalgamated all the available plans and will display them at the village hall in Milton Malsor on Saturday, January 16 from 1.30pm until 3.30pm.

Calling the project a “major threat to the village”, Ann Addison, clerk to Milton Malsor Parish Council, said: “Should this proposal ever get the go-ahead, almost all the land between our village and Blisworth would become a vast industrial estate served by a new roundabouts; one on the A43 and one on the Milton to Blisworth road.”

Milton Malsor Parish Council said the construction phase would cause noise, dirt, dust and construction traffic.

If it gets the go-ahead and becomes operational, parish councillors are also concerned at the fact other similar rail freight terminals operate round the clock.

Mrs Addison said: “We would suffer constant noise from trucks and containers being moved off trains and around the site, night time security lighting, and a vast increase in traffic through the village (and no doubt more accidents).

“At least 13 huge warehouses would destroy the view and all the footpaths from Milton to Blisworth and Gayton would be closed.”

An action group to fight the plan has been set up and Mrs Addison appealed for people to join, particularly those who have good knowledge of highways and transport, drainage and flood risk, or noise or air pollution.