TECHNICAL rail arguments should not be used to justify refusing the scheme, Helioslough's planning expert has told the inquiry.

Richard Tilley said that the rail industry had its own official regulator to resolve disputes, with Network Rail in overall control charge of the infrastucture, and it was not appropriate for issues of access to be settled through the planning system.

He added that the previous inspector had concluded there could be no guarantee of sufficient pathways for freight trains, but there was “reasonable assurance” and nothing had changed to alter this.

Helioslough's revised alternative sites study, he added, was not based on technical rail issues, but was a search for a location where a railfreight terminal would cause less harm to the Green Belt than at the appeal site.