26 Feb 2024
Campaigners fighting the proposed rail freight terminal on the former Radlett airfield have arranged a public meeting to update residents on the latest legal ruling that could see the development blocked.
St Albans MP Daisy Cooper will also address Sunday’s meeting, which takes place at 2pm in Greenwood Park Leisure Centre, and explain how she has raised the question of the sale in Parliament.
Last week a senior judge decided that the High Court should rule later this year on whether the way Herts county council sold 300 acres of Green Belt in Park Street was lawful.
Campaign group Save St Albans: Fight the Freight claimed historic covenants show the land had been designated permanent open space. But HCC claims when they bought the land for £1 in the mid-1980s the sale conditions included different restrictions which allowed them to sell on to developers.
In her findings last week Mrs Justice Thornton said HCC’s submission had acknowledged that they weren’t able to provide conclusive evidence as to the basis by which they bought the land nearly 40 years ago.
“We are now at a crucial stage in our fight against this unwanted development,” said Cllr Nuala Webb, one of the campaign leaders. “Mrs Justice Thornton’s decision last week has been a huge shot in the arm and we’ve had a great reaction from the community.
“We know people have lots of questions so a public meeting is the right way to listen, to explain and to look at ways we can fund the legal challenge. People have been quick and generous with donations already but we need more.
“This development will affect the entire St Albans area if it goes ahead. The legal challenge gives us a chance to stop it and prevent the traffic chaos, pollution and a last chance to save valuable Green Belt and open space.”
Meanwhile developers Segro continue to press ahead with preliminary work on the site even though the courts could overturn the sale of the land.
But Segro have angered residents by going back on a commitment to set up regular consultations to update local people on the different phases of the development.
Terrie Smith from the Fight the Freight campaign said: “People have a right to know what’s going on but they’re being kept in the dark. There’s a lot of activity, a lot of noise and disruption to traffic, all things that affect their everyday lives.
“They want to know what’s happening, when it’s happening, whether any more trees are due to be felled, how wild-life is being protected but Segro are not telling them anything.”
To support the legal challenge go to: https://www.savestalbans.com/donate/
