A six week inquiry into the proposed railfreight terminal on the outskirts of Radlett, which critics fear will ruin the lives of thousands of local people, started this week.

Government inspector Andrew Phillipson will hear evidence from 22 expert witnesses, and submissions from parish councils, residents' groups and members of the public.

Would-be developer Helioslough is appealing against St Albans District Council's refusal of planning permission for a large goods yard on Green Belt land between Park Street and London Colney, complete with five warehouses, rail sidings and road infrastructure.

Neighbouring Hertsmere Borough Council also opposed the development.

Opening his case in the main council chamber in the St Albans Civic Centre, the consortium's barrister Martin Kingston said: "The area as it presently stands is marred by visual and environmental problems."

Arguing that the proposal would include a "country park" offering benefits to residents and wildlife alike, he said the location, a former airfield, was ideal for a goods depot beacuse of its links with the main Midland rail line, the M25, M10, M1 and A1(M).

He said the national need for railfreight facilties to get traffic off the roads, and the lack of suitable sites elsewhere, met the criteria of "very special circumstances" justifying development in the Green Belt.

Representing the campaign group Strife, Paul Stinchcombe said countless local families enjoyed the Green Belt location at the centre of the row.

He said: "This is a proposal for a masive inappropriate location in a highly sensitive location."

Mr Stinchcombe claimed the proposed freight yard would be hampered by technical problems such as lack of access from the north and insufficient capacity on the rail line, which is heavily used by commuter trains.