PLANS to build an international freight terminal on Green Belt land little more than 400 yards outside the borough are being opposed by Hillingdon Council .

It says the scheme would make life unbearable for residents of Tavistock Road, Yiewsley and Fairway Avenue, West Drayton because of the increase in noise from the Colnbrook line, a little-used branch line that loops off the Great Western line close to the two roads, before heading south.

The Slough Intermodal Freight Exchange (SIFE) has been proposed by Slough Borough Council, and would be bigger than the nearby village of Colnbrook.

It would be built on 182 acres between the M4, the M25 and the Colnbrook bypass, and would act as a switching point for goods from road to rail and vice-versa. Proposals include warehouse space and a lorry park. The developer is Goodman.

It is the second potential development threat to the Tavistock Road area. A Heathrow hub for the High Speed Two rail line would be built on old water works land close by if engineer Arup gets its way.

The council is holding a planning meeting tomorrow (Thursday), at which councillors will register a formal objection.

Jean Palmer, the council's director of planning, environment and community services, said: "Officers are recommending the planning committee object to this application in Slough because if it goes ahead it could have a significant adverse impact on Hillingdon. This could include noise problems, loss of air quality and traffic congestion on our roads."

A similar project, called the London International Freight Exchange, was refused on the same site in 1999. It was subject to a planning appeal which was also thrown out in 2002, principally because of the loss of Green Belt land.

It is estimated that the number of freight trains using the Colnbrook line would double. The council also says the A4 junction with Stanwell Moor Road is already at capacity and cannot cope with extra traffic.

A campaign group called STOP SIFE has been set up by residents of Colnbrook, determined to prevent the destruction of the Green Belt.