Your village paper MP expresses concern at Hinckley Rail Editor: Freight plans Lorraine Jackson 101 Stanton Road South Leicestershire MP, Alberto Costa, has expressed his concern at recently announced plans by developers, DB Symmetry, to construct a Sapcote new logistics site with an accompanying rail freight terminal located to the south of the village of Elmesthorpe. Tel: 01455 274733 Th e plans which were recently unveiled by DB Symmetry, would cover a site of almost 500 acres and would include a 1.5 million square foot E-mail: [email protected] warehouse which, if constructed, would become Leicestershire’s largest building. SAPCOTE NEWS Mr Costa said, “I am extremely concerned at the developer’s plans for • Published by SRGMC (Sapcote Recreation this gigantic logistics park to the south of Elmesthorpe, located close Ground Management Committee) to Junction 2 of the M69, in my constituency. My office has already been contacted by a very large number of constituents regarding this • SRGMC has no opinions on the articles in this matter and they too have expressed their deep concerns about the edition potential impact on local roads, the surrounding environment and other • All articles submitted will be included in the local infrastructure. Until just a week or so ago, there appeared to be earliest edition where possible, and the editor on very little in the way of public consultation on this matter, and it is simply behalf of the SRGMC reserves the right NOT to unacceptable that my constituents are being given very little publish any material deemed to be unsuitable. consideration in this case”. • The views and opinions expressed in this and any edition are NOT those of the editor unless Mr Michael Lee, Chair of the Fosse Villages Neighbourhood Plan, also detailed accordingly said, “Villages like Sharnford, Aston Flamville, Sapcote and Stoney Stanton will be overwhelmed by employee and service traffic. DB Symmetry proposes opening Coventry facing slip roads at M69 Junction 2 for HNRFI truck traffic. In 1970 the Secretary of State for Transport absolutely refused to allow their construction due to the inadequacy of the local road system even then. There has been DEADLINE FOR NEXT SAPCOTE NEWS absolutely no subsequent road improvement. Add 8,400 employees daily being drawn to the HNRFI facility from a very wide area and you have a traffic, pollution and safety disaster which will utterly destroy the All articles and adverts to be forwarded to environment of our villages. The developers must re-examine the the editor by: practical access needs for this facility, and their own under investment driven greed”. th 12 August 2018 Mr Costa added, “I too only received notification of this development in a letter from DB Symmetry a few weeks ago, and I was rather disappointed with the contents of that letter which provided very little detail. As a result of this, I have urgently written to the Managing Director of DB Symmetry inviting him to a meeting in Westminster so that we can discuss this proposal in greater detail. Since my election in 2015, I have been working very closely with the Sharnford Traffic Action Group (STAG) and Sharnford Parish Council to address the troublesome traffic issues that many of the Fosse Villages experience and as such, it is of paramount importance that both I and my constituents fully understand the proposals before us”. For further information contact: Will Bateman, Senior Parliamentary Researcher, 07814 840296 Page 2 of 20 Q2 – April – June 2018 ALL SEWN UP! CLOTHES ALTERED TO SUIT YOU Repairs and alterations of clothes, wedding dresses & curtains Fittings available by Appointment For a friendly, professional service Tracey - Sharnford Tel: 01455 274833 OR Mobile 0775468423 HIRE THE PAVILION Available to hire by the hour / day Includes kitchen facilities, tables /chairs, baby changing facilities, disability access Suitable for private parties / functions, exercise classes, social groups, meetings For more information please telephone Tony Griggs 01455 274245 or 07816 951636 Page 3 of 20 Q2 – April – June 2018 SAPCOTE PARISH COUNCIL NEWS Report of the Chairman of the Parish Council Council, Leicester City Council the seven district councils It was with great sadness that, early in January, we and the Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership. Whilst we learnt of the death of our long-standing county welcome the idea of planning for the future and providing councillor, Ernie White. Mr White had been a county a framework to allow this to happen, we do not subscribe councillor and a district councillor for many years and to the idea that a consultation on a vision is sufficient had supported the Parish Council and the people of authority for the approval of an expressway and the Sapcote in a whole range of matters over that time. Mr construction of 90,000 houses and associated White regularly attended the Parish Council meetings development at unknown locations, without further and provided assistance and advice on a range of reference to a full public consultation. matters. During his period in office he was leader of both Leicestershire County Council and Blaby District In addition to our concerns about the lack of a second Council. He will be sadly missed. consultation, we also have concerns over the lack of detail of the route of the proposed expressway, the lack of In November last year Marian Cross, our litter warden, information on access and exit points, the accuracy of the retired after 25 years’ service with the Parish Council. overall housing needs forecasts and we have particular Marian kept the village a litter free environment for 25 concerns over the lack of information on secondary road years. She has done an excellent job over this period improvements to take the additional estimated 400 million and this is evidenced by the number of favourable traffic movements per year. We now await the response of comments received about the cleanliness of the the consultation and to see if our bid for second village. Marion is now taking a well-deserved opportunity to comment was successful. retirement and the thanks of the Parish Council go to Marion with every best wish for the future. Joy Sparks Because of its concern, the Parish Council organised a has now been appointed to this post and has already public meeting which was held on 22 March and where commenced work. there was unanimous support for second consultation once detailed proposals had been formulated and, before During the year, Sapcote and Stoney Stanton parish the proposals were incorporated into local plans. councils collaborated on the refurbishment of the Representatives of the seven local parish councils and Stanton Lane footpath. This work has now been meetings who were present, all spoke in support this completed and many walkers are now enjoying a second consultation as did members of the public who wider footpath free from potholes and overgrown unequivocally supported a second consultation. The vegetation. Parish Council has now written to our district councillors in an attempt to gain their support for a second consultation At its January meeting the Parish Council approved a and this letter has been attached as an addendum to the precept increase of 2.375%. For a band D property Parish Council minutes of April 2018 which can be found this amounts to an annual increase of £1.99 per year on the Parish Council’s web site. which equates to just over16p per month. Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange The Parish Council is still awaiting the formal Some 18 months ago we were made aware that there handover of the Grace Road public open space. Once were tentative proposals for a rail freight interchange this happens we can install the long-awaited dog and which was to take up a substantial area on the western litter bins. We are pressing Blaby District Council to side of the parishes of Sapcote and Stoney Stanton. This approve the transfer as soon as possible. proposal is rapidly becoming a reality albeit on a smaller 178-hectare site to the east of the M69. The proposed Strategic Growth Plan development will include general industrial facilities, In January of this year we saw the commencement of storage and distribution warehousing together with a rail the consultation period for the Strategic Growth Plan port and a lorry park. It is also proposed to include a which is a long term, high level vision for growth that is dedicated access road directly to and from junction 2 of being prepared jointly by Leicestershire County the M69 by opening the south facing slip roads. Page 4 of 20 Q2 – April – June 2018 SAPCOTE PARISH COUNCIL NEWS cont’d This proposed development designated as being of recommended boundary changes will be confirmed and national significance because of the motorway and rail will become effective from 1 April 2019. I would like to pass connections, and accordingly it is being dealt with by on my thanks to all those residents who supported the Parish the National Infrastructure Planning Unit of the Council on this important change. Planning Inspectorate with local planning authorities being consultees only. Fly Tipping As a first stage, we have now responded to the Fly tipping is a continuing concern in local communities Scoping Opinion detailing what we would like to see and this illegal activity has seen a sharp rise in recent included in the Environmental Impact Assessment years fuelled by more and more restrictions at County Statement. Clearly, we have many concerns about Council recycling sites. Again, this year we have this development not least of which is the traffic experienced the blight caused by this illegal dumping and impact not only on the village but on the wider area it seems that even the entrance to the cemetery is not and especially with the proposed opening of the M69 out of bounds to fly tippers.