A LABOUR-RUN council is going head-to-head with the Scottish Government in court after confirming it will appeal against ministers' decision to approve a controversial rail freight hub.
North Lanarkshire council is seeking a judicial review in a bid to halt the construction of Mossend International Railfreight Park (MIRP) on greenbelt land in Bellshill.
Planning permission for the development was unanimously rejected by councillors last year amid complaints from residents about noise and pollution. Logistics firm, PD Stirling, appealed to the Scottish Government to overturn the decision.
The case was initially referred to an independent reporter who concurred with the council, but in a surprise move the Scottish Government called it in on the grounds that the £260 million infrastructure project was an "issue of national significance" that should be decided directly by ministers.
In August, the Scottish Government approved the scheme - but now faces fresh opposition from North Lanarkshire council.
On Thursday, a majority of members of its transport and planning committee voted to appeal. The decision was not backed by some members of the SNP opposition, however.
James Coyle, the council's Convener of Planning and Transportation, said: “The council believes there are grounds to seek a judicial review and we will now start that process.
“We unanimously rejected the original application, the independent expert appointed by the Government agreed, and yet Alex Neil, the cabinet secretary, decided to go ahead anyway. It’s notable, I think, that the expert report was submitted before the election in May but Alex Neil sat on it until after that election was safely out of the way."
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said: “The application for Mossend International Railfreight Park in Bellshill was one of a small number of appeals ‘recalled’ by Scottish Ministers to make the final decision themselves.
“We note North Lanarkshire Council has indicated it intends to seek a judicial review of the Scottish Government’s decision to grant planning permission and we await official notification of this in due course.”
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