Ambitious Grand Central Railway plan ‘could save jobs and boost economy’

An ambitious bid to bring together the two ends of the Great Central Railway (GCR) has been formally submitted to planning chiefs and could save jobs under threat. The reunification project also aims to bring economic benefits to Leicestershire and beyond if it is approved.

The GCR scheme would see 18 miles of track centered on Loughborough and stretching from north Leicester to south Nottingham. A new viaduct will also be part of the project which first appeared in April.

The project would see the two ends come together for the first time since 1969. Bosses at the Leicestershire Heritage Line have warned that the next stages of the planning process could see costs rise to £500,000 as they seek to get the go-ahead from officials .

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The GCR originally ran from Sheffield to London and after its closure in the late 1960s, sections of the track were removed. Since being revived as a heritage line, the Great Central Railway has been welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, with bosses hoping the reunification project can see attendances rise even further.

Earlier this year, the GCR team revealed they would have to cut jobs in a bid to save £250,000 – a move they said “cannot be avoided”. Despite this, they remain ambitious in securing the reunification project as the plans now go back to Charnwood Borough Council. If approved, GCR says industry jobs could be secured, but exact numbers are unclear.

GCR managing director Malcolm Holmes said: “The formal application of planning consent is a huge milestone for this exciting project. It took a lot of work and investment from supporters and stakeholders.”

Three sections of the reunification have been completed so far, but this latest section, including the viaduct, is the largest yet. Mr Holmes said since it was unveiled the project had received £50,000 in donations from supporters but more was needed to ensure designs and engineering specifications could be produced in the next stages of the planning process .

Mr Holmes said: “As always, we are extremely grateful and humbled by the generous donations we receive from around the world to further the project. This next stage is crucial so we are now asking people to contact Charnwood District Council and support the planning application.”

If approved, the GCR team say the fully reunified line would also bring an economic boost to all parts of the line in Leicestershire. A decision will be made by planning officials at a later date.

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