A spokeswoman for the East Midlands Freeport board has refused to comment on details of a 250 acre logistics hub that could be built on green fields next to the M1.
It comes after Leicestershire County Council leader Coun Nick Rushton quit the board over his opposition to a big warehousing development planned for countryside just south of East Midlands Airport.
The land sits in Coun Rushton's county council and district council wards. A local pressure group called Project Diseworth has also raised opposition to the potential developing of the land which it calls a “green lung” between Diseworth and the Moto Donington Park services at junction 23a of the M1.
Details of the logistics park are sparse and the spokeswoman for the freeport board told BusinessLive they could not comment due to “commercial confidentiality”.
She did say that the East Midlands Airport and Gateway Industrial Cluster (EMAGIC) was designated as a freeport low-tax site by the government last year.
According to online documents the EMAGIC currently includes East Midlands Airport and the existing SEGRO Logistics Park East Midlands Gateway to the north of the airport – a mile or so from where the new site would be.
Project Diseworth spokesman Richard Brackenbury said: “We know nothing other than the fact SEGRO want to build an industrial/warehouse development on the 250 acres as part of the freeport.
“The formal planning application is now expected in May or June.
“The land had not been included in the original freeport proposal in 20/21 and was only included at the last minute in February 2022 when the Treasury “designated” the land as a “tax free zone” – ie to be part of the freeport.
“They did this without any consultation but it’s now argued the designation should make it easier to get permission.
“I raised FOI requests of the Treasury, Leicestershire County Council and North West Leicestershire District Council to try to find out why the land had been included.
“All requests were refused both originally and on internal review. I’m currently appealing these refusals to the Information Commissioner.”
In a statement on Coun Rushton’s resignation from the board, East Midlands Freeport chair Nora Senior CBE said: “Councillor Rushton served as a founding member of the board of East Midlands Freeport, which agreed the submission and application in 2021 for the UK’s only inland freeport to be based in its current location.
“Councillor Rushton recently tendered his resignation as he felt conflicted in representing both the freeport board and his constituents in Diseworth given his intention to stand for re-election in the forthcoming local elections.
“We have welcomed Councillor Lee Breckon to replace Leicestershire County Council on the EMF Board.
“We look forward to working with Councillor Rushton and our local communities to ensure wider economic benefits are delivered through the opportunities presented by the freeport, particularly for our young people, bringing highly skilled quality jobs to the region as well as supporting the innovation around decarbonisation and net zero to which we all aspire.”
A spokeswoman for Segro has been approached for comment.
