Representation by Richard Duplock
- Date submitted
- 30 May 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I own a property in Hinckley and grew up in the town. The proposed development of the area outside of Hinckley, Burbage and surrounding villages would be devastating for local residents as well as the climate and the natural environment. Not only is the size of the proposed development on a scale that would be truly out of proportion for the proposed site but the development on this greenfield site would mean that the local area and fabric of the surrounding villages would be negatively and irretrievably changed forever. Burbage Common is a natural beauty spot that is a habitat for a wide variety of animals and, importantly, has represented a vital space for the health and mental well-being of local residents for decades – never more important than during the recent pandemic. We all have a moral duty to protect these spaces from development and the impact of industry. The proposed development would devastate the area next to this natural beauty spot causing extra light and noise pollution and excessive industrial and road traffic. The proposed measures to off-set the natural devastation that your development would cause are woefully inadequate. The unemployment rate in the area is well below the national average and the economic argument for the development of the area is simply not compelling enough to justify the devastation to the local area. To progress with the development of the Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange would be irresponsible.