RAILFREIGHT "CONSULTATION" IS AN INSULT TO RESIDENTS

1.37.00pm GMT Mon 16th Mar 2009

Sandy Walkington, Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for St Albans, has condemned the so-called consultation exercise carried out Railfreight railfreight developer Helioslough at the Noke Hotel over this last weekend. "Frankly I was shocked when I visited the exhibition. One statement on the perfunctory display boards summed it up," he said.

"CHANGES SINCE THE SCHEME WAS CONSIDERED AT INQUIRY:

• A new Alternative Sites report

In all other respects the application is identical to the first."

"And then there was nothing, nothing at all about the new Alternative Sites report," Sandy said. "Presumably because they want to give St Albans Council, STRiFE, and local residents as little time as possible to prepare objections when the new application is submitted.

"Instead we had a few sketchy plans which we have seen before dotted around a marquee. They were all carefully cropped so that the sheer scale of the development is not so apparent. There were no models and a total lack of detailed information.

"We really have to question whether this parody of a consultation meets statutory guidelines," Sandy said. "But it certainly provided proof if any were needed that Helioslough has total contempt for local residents."