Row escalates over Freeport planning ‘attack’ on Leicestershire village

A row that has been brewing all year over how the 250-acre East Midlands Freeport could “swallow up” agricultural land around the Leicestershire village of Diseworth has erupted again, just days before the Christmas break.

Earlier this year, the leader of Leicestershire County Council resigned from the board of the East Midlands Freeport, whose proponents say is forecast to create tens of thousands of new jobs and add almost £9 billion to the economy over the next 30 years

Councillor Nick Rushton said that although he continued to support the Freeport, he “fundamentally disagree[d] with the late addition of a major greenfield area” near the Leicestershire village, describing it as an “ill-advised afterthought.”

Now, Protect Diseworth, who are opposed to the Freeport plan encroaching on the village, say that cross-party support is growing their campaign.

The campaign has described East Midlands Airport’s (which owns the land) application for planning permission for the Freeport, slated to be submitted early next year, as “attack”, which would “effectively suffocate” the village as well as having a major negative impact on its surrounding agriculture and wildlife.

Councillor Amanda Hack, Labour candidate for North West Leicestershire said: “The site south of the A453 was chosen solely on grounds of cost and convenience to the developer. It’s the wrong development in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“Freeports will not fix the UK’s failing economy. They will do little to address regional inequalities.

“Diseworth has everything to lose, and nothing to gain. I will work closely with the Protect Diseworth campaign to find a more sustainable solution.”

Craig Smith, Conservative candidate in North West Leicestershire, who has visited the proposed site and heard the concerns of the villagers, said: “Seeing the site visit really does put things into perspective. Placing an industrial development of such magnitude in this location is entirely inappropriate.

“The decision to devastate this rural area and disturb the nearby village is unwarranted, especially considering the availability of numerous locally situated brownfield sites that would be far more suitable for accommodating this component of the overarching Freeport development. You can count on my support going forward”.

Carl Benfield, Green Party candidate for North West Leicestershire said: “Diseworth faces the encroachment of its ancient boundary by the mirage of progress, and superficial words about sustainable development [which] carry very little weight.
“Everything is wrong about this proposal. Everything should be done to prevent it happening.”

Richard Brackenbury, spokesperson for Protect Diseworth: “It’s clear from the level of support we are getting, both politically and generally, that these proposals are ill conceived and inappropriate.

“The message to MAG East Midlands Airport, Segro and the Freeport board is to exclude the green and productive fields around our rural village, which is a conservation area, from their forthcoming planning applications and to seek alternative brownfield
locations for their developments instead. What’s more, the airport’s proposed planning application is entirely at odds with its own Environment Policy which it says was created with a vision of reducing our environmental impact with the vast greenland space and neighbouring communities.

“We hope East Midlands Airport, MAG and the Freeport board will do the right thing and save our village from this unnecessary assault.”

East Midlands Airport’s managing director, Steve Griffiths, told TheBusinessDesk.com: “Our parent company, MAG (Manchester Airports Group), owns 38 hectares (95 acres) of land south of the airport between the A453 and Hyams Lane near Diseworth village. It is one of the East Midlands Freeport tax sites designated by Government in February 2022, and as such we have been considering options for its development, including commercial discussions with third parties.

“We are now pursuing the option of submitting a planning application to North West Leicestershire District Council, for the Freeport land south of the airport that is within our ownership. This initially involves a formal request for their views on the issues to be covered in an accompanying Environmental Impact Assessment. This will very carefully consider a range of key issues including possible impact on the surrounding road network, drainage and visual and noise mitigation.

“We understand there will be local concerns about any proposals for the future use of this land and we have committed to keep Diseworth residents informed throughout this process. We held a meeting with community representatives recently and will hold more as things progress. There will also be opportunities for people’s views through the formal consultation process, both on the environmental scoping request as well as on any future planning application.”

Meanwhile, an East Midlands Freeport spokesperson told us: “The Freeport provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attract a range of high-quality jobs, technology and infrastructure for the next generation of net zero products and services – and act as a catalyst for regeneration in our towns and cities.

“All of our sites have been carefully chosen by all Freeport board members and approved by Government through a rigorous process, however, we do understand that communities living adjacent to any proposed development may have concerns, which is why developers will have to follow the normal planning processes including public consultation and work to a set of Freeport design principles.”