Rail freight sale veers off track

No decision whether to sell green belt land earmarked for the controversial strategic rail freight interchange at Radlett will be made until planning permission for the project is allowed, Herts County Council has announced. Defying recommendations of officers, leader Robert Gordon said he disagreed with Eric Pickles that the benefits of the scheme outweighed the damage it would cause although he pointed out that the county council was legally obliged to enter into a section 106 development with developers Helioslough. Cllr Gordon also urged Mr Pickles to reconsider his decision that he was ‘minded to’ approve the application and agreed to defer any decision on the disposal of the Radlett Airfield until Mr Pickles had made up his mind one way or antoher. Robert Gordon said: “We must act within the law but it unambiguously does not want this development to proceed.” He said: “This forces the ball back into the court of the secretary of state to make up his mind.” For more, see January’s My Radlett News