New UK rail freight hub and warehouse complex approved

A rail freight hub and warehouse complex has been approved. The East Midlands Gateway Rail Freight Interchange (near East Midlands Airport) will act as an “inland port” after it was initially refused permission.

The project will consist of up to 557,414 square metres of warehouses and a new rail line to connect the Castle Donington branch line, alongside new roads and improvements to junction 24 of the M1. The rail freight terminal itself will have the capacity to accommodate trains up to 775 metres long.

Once fully operational, the facility will handle the equivalent of 1,800 Lorries every day and will create roughly 7,000 jobs.

The hub had previously been rejected for development, with opponents citing the lack of long term plans to increase rail connections and because not all the warehouses would be connected by rail.

SOURCE: [BBC]