HORSHAM North residents have breathed a sigh of relief after state and federal rail authorities confirmed the Horsham Freight Terminal would be free from rail freight operations by November.
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Qube Logistics began operations at the site in November last year, despite plans for the terminal to be decommissioned.
Its lease will expire on October 31.
Terminal owners VicTrack confirmed to the Mail-Times yesterday that the site would not operate as a freight terminal after the lease expired.
The Australian Rail Track Corporation, which issued Qube's lease, also confirmed it would not be extended.
VicTrack senior stakeholder and community relations adviser Jason Murray said VicTrack would seek approval from the Department of Transport to decommission the site.
He said Horsham Rural City Council could then apply to buy back the terminal land.
"VicTrack has no intention to either operate the Mill Street freight terminal when it is handed back to VicTrack by the Australian Rail Track Corporation and Qube Logistics, or to lease it to another party for that purpose," he said.
Horsham North Residents Committee has been lobbying the state and federal governments to decommission the site for 10 months.
Secretary Rae Nelson said the committee had wanted written confirmation from both VicTrack and the Australian Rail Track Corporation that the site would not be used as a freight terminal after October 31.
"This is what we have been working towards and now we have it," she said.
"To have a commercial enterprise removed from a residential area will be a big relief.
"The residents in close vicinity to the terminal will be free from the noise and dust and have a bit of normalcy again."
Horsham Rural City Council met the Department of Transport and VicTrack last week on the site's future use.
A draft plan for Horsham North has recommended the Melbourne-Adelaide rail corridor be moved from Mill Street, which could cost up to $20 million.
Mayor David Grimble said the freight terminal and rail corridor was on prime land.
"Council will need to work closely with the community about that precinct's uses long term," he said.
"A whole conversation needs to happen about what the old freight precinct means for the community and the opportunities that would exist if the rail track was ever moved.
"It would be a really long-term goal to have the rail corridor moved but these things have to start somewhere."
