THE LONDON Borough of Barnet has granted planning approval for the construction of an aggregates and construction terminal at Cricklewood, adjacent to the Midland main line in north London.
Part of the Brent Cross Thameslink development, which also includes a new Brent Cross station, the original intention was to build an intermodal terminal at the site, which is leased from Network Rail by DB Cargo. However, rail freight market studies in 2015 and 2016 suggested demand for an intermodal facility would not be sufficient to make this viable, but there would be demand for an aggregate and construction waste facility.
The proposed facility consists of two sidings located close to the MML, with access onto the main line at either end. Adjacent to the sidings will be four tenancy plots comprising loading/unloading areas, and the access road onto the Edgware Road will also be upgraded.
Operation is planned to comprise the transfer of aggregates from rail to road and the transfer of inert construction spoil from road to rail. It is anticipated there will be an average of two trains for delivery of aggregates and one train for construction waste removal each day. The facility has been designed to be an open access aggregate facility, meaning it can be used by any freight operator.
