Andrea Leadsom has 'grave concerns' about Northampton rail freight plans

Network Rail said the rail connection had been delayed

An MP said she had "grave concerns" that a rail freight interchange could become "yet another lorry park" if changes to plans were approved.

Andrea Leadsom, Conservative MP for South Northamptonshire, was discussing the Northampton Gateway Rail Freight Interchange at junction 15 of the M1.

Plans previously stated warehouses on the site could not be occupied until the rail terminal was operational.

But developers want to amend that due to the rail link being delayed.

A spokesman for developer SEGRO said: "Any suggestions that SEGRO is not committed to the full implementation of the Strategic Rail Freight Terminal at SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton are untrue."

Work started on the 464,515 sq m (5,000,000 sq ft) logistics park in 2021, with SEGRO stating it would be "the UK's premier destination for logistics and distribution".

Work to connect the rail freight terminal to the rail network was due to take place this autumn, but Network Rail said it "did not fit into the wider industry planning timescales".

A spokesperson for Network Rail said it had requested access for the connection work in September 2023 and if it was unsuccessful it would make a further request for early 2024.

Andrea Leadsom said she had "no great confidence" the rail link would "happen any time soon"

SEGRO notified Wootton Parish Council in August that it had made an application for a "non-material change" to the development control order for the site, and a consultation on the amendments was open until 26 September.

Ms Leadsom said she was "absolutely disgusted" by the request to amend the development control order.

She said residents were "really concerned about excess traffic" with the previous plan and so the request to use the warehouses before the rail terminal was operational was "a red rag to a bull for my constituents".

"The concern for my constituents is that if it opens with just warehousing and logistics, lorry movements in and out will be enormous," she said.

"And there won't be the incentive to ever complete the rail loop.

"My grave concern is that if the developer does get the waiver to the development consent order... then it will just become yet another lorry park."

Ms Leadsom said she had made her views and those of her constituents "very clear" in the consultation about the amendment and she "sincerely" hoped it would be withdrawn.

A SEGRO spokesman said: "While we do not expect any buildings to be operational until spring 2024 at the earliest, we are seeking to amend the planning consent to enable the occupation of the first 2.5 million sq ft of space in the event there is an unforeseen delay connecting the terminal to the rail network."