A rail freight depot on the outskirts of Radlett has been refused after a lengthy battle. Alex Lewis and Janaki Mahadevan explore the history of the site and the fight to save it from development.

In 1929 the The Handley Page aircraft business relocated its factory from Cricklewood to land between Radlett and Park Street.

The company had to test its products, including early airliners and heavy bombers such as the Halifax, and it soon installed a runway, with hangars and a control tower.

The firm went out of business in 1970 but many years later, much of this infrastructure was still clearly visible to passengers on trains from St Albans to London.

The land was then used as a quarry, where a large amount of gravel was extracted, and ownership today is shared between Hertfordshire County Council and quarrying firm Lafarge.

Around the turn of the Millennium, the council was approached by representatives of HelioSlough, a business consortium formed to investigate the idea of building a large rail freight yard on the site.

In summer 2004, the consortium approached Kerry Pollard, the St Albans MP at the time, hoping he would swing his weight behind the proposal with the promise of hundreds if not thousands of jobs. Backed by a government keen to shift freight from road to rail, Helioslough argued the former airfield was an ideal site — flat, lying on a main rail line, close to two major motorways and well situated for London and the south east.

More in tune with public opinion, Mr Pollard quickly forged a cross-party alliance with residents convinced the proposal would be disastrous, not only for the immediate Park Street area, but for London Colney, Radlett, Bricket Wood and the whole of central Hertfordshire.

The main fear was that the A414, already groaning under the weight of excessive traffic, would have to cope with hundreds of extra slow-moving lorries.

By the time a planning application was submitted for the £300 million terminal in 2006, passions were running high.

After consultation with groups including Hertsmere Borough Council, in February last year St Albans District Council refused planning permission for the development and committed £750,000 to fighting an appeal.

In May last year, HelioSlough lodged a formal appeal with the Planning Inspectorate against St Albans District Council’s decision.

Last September, Hertsmere Borough Council also agreed to put up to £30,000 to fight the appeal. Addressing councillors, Hertsmere head of planning, Richard Grove, said: “Although it is not strictly in Hertsmere, it will have a significant impact in this area, more so than any other planning application since I became a planning officer here 18 years ago.

“We need to be represented, if not directly by ourselves then at least as part of a consortium.”

During a seven-week inquiry starting in November last year, Government inspector Andrew Phillipson heard evidence from 22 expert witnesses, and submissions from parish councils, residents’ groups and the general public.

Asked what he would do if the inspector allowed the terminal to go ahead, Councillor Chris Brazier, planning portfolio holder for St Albans, said he would ask the legal team to review the decision and possibly take it to a judicial review.

But two weeks ago on October 2, Hazel Blears, Secretary of State for Communites and Local Government, announced the plans for the terminal had been rejected.

Councillor Hannah David, Hertsmere’s portfolio holder for planning, said the announcement was “fantastic news”.

“We supported St Albans District Council in objecting to the proposals and, throughout the process, listened to our residents who clearly did not want such an operation nearby either.

“I am delighted our efforts have paid off.”