EXCLUSIVE

Tom Gordon

Scottish Political Editor

COMMUNITIES Secretary Alex Neil has been accused of pre-judging a public consultation by forcing through a massive rail development that could bring jobs to his Lanarkshire seat.

Neil used his ministerial powers to overrule planning officials last month to approve the £260m expansion of Mossend railhead into a national freight super-hub.

The controversial scheme, which advocates say could create around 3000 jobs by 2030, would be within half a mile of Neil’s Airdrie & Shotts constituency.

The expansion was unanimously rejected by North Lanarkshire Council in 2014 as it would destroy 60 acres of greenbelt north of Bellshill.

Around 1200 nearby residents also lodged objections, many suggesting the adjacent Euro Central terminal would be a far better option.

After developers PD Stirling appealed, a government planning reporter also backed rejection.

However, in a highly unusual move, Neil overruled the reporter, and granted permission for the project regardless, arguing it was of “national significance”.

North Lanarkshire Council is trying to overturn the decision through a judicial review.

Neil is now facing claims he should have never taken the PD Stirling decision because it pre-empted a public consultation, and he was too close to it as a minister and local MSP.

On Tuesday, SNP transport minister Derek Mackay revealed the government was working on widespread review of rail freight strategy, with “a public consultation in the autumn.”

At a protest meeting of around 250 local residents in Bellshill later that night, Central Scotland Independent MSP John Wilson accused Neil of jumping the gun ahead of the consultation.

“Why did a Cabinet Secretary pre-empt the review that the transport minister said was going to be carried out?” Wilson asked.

“Surely they should have waited until that review was carried out before making any decision and allowing a new rail freight terminal to be constructed?”

Neil was repeatedly criticised by residents at the meeting in St Gerard’s Primary.

One man was applauded for asking: “Does Alex Neil think that the people of Scotland are stupid enough to live under a dictatorship? Because that’s what this is.”

The day after the meeting, the government confirmed Neil had met PD Stirling in his role as Infrastructure Secretary in July 2012 to discuss access routes into the Mossend site.

Wilson said Neil had been too close to the process to make the final decision, and should have recused himself.

“It’s questionable whether Alex Neil should have taken that decision himself or left it the reporter to have the final say,” Wilson said.

A spokesperson for the Bellshill Greenbelt Alliance, which is fighting the Mossend plan, said: “We don’t understand why the government is pushing this instead of using the purpose-built rail hub next door at Euro Central. We hope the judicial review will give ministers a chance to reconsider the decision and investigate a more appropriate option.”

The Sunday Herald reveal last week how the Mossend plan had sparked a civil war in the local SNP, as Uddingston & Bellshill candidate Richard Lyle is backing the freight super-hub.

Many party members fear Lyle’s support for scheme, which would replace greenbelt land with warehouses, will help Labour MSP Michael McMahon defend his 714-vote majority in May.

Four SNP councillors in the Lyle camp last week opposed North Lanarkshire Council’s plan to seek a judicial review of Neil’s decision, despite having previously opposed the super-hub.

They included Sophia Coyle, whose father Michael, also a councillor, works for Neil.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said that in light of North Lanarkshire Council’s legal challenge it would “not be appropriate for Ministers to comment further at this stage”.