Roadchef’s A1(M): Catterick service station plans approved

The service station, to be developed by Roadchef Motorways Ltd, will occupy a 11.2-hectare site east of Junction 52 on the A1(M), with traffic from either direction on the motorway able to access the site. It will include a 100-bedroom hotel, a building with shops, a gaming area, a drive-through Costa and McDonald's, a fuel station, and parking for 292 cars. The development, which also promises electric vehicle charging facilities and extensive landscaping, is projected to create 300 full-time equivalent jobs.

North Yorkshire Council officially granted planning permission on March 27, with conditions requiring work to begin within three years. The authority also issued a section 106 file on Monday (March 31), a document outlining what the applicant and council have agreed to do to help mitigate concerns about infrastructure. Conditions include drainage and flood risk mitigation, a full archaeological assessment, and a litter strategy to be agreed upon prior to opening.

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(Image: Google) Despite the council's decision, the proposal has been the subject of significant opposition from the local community as far back as 2019 when these plans first came to light. Concerns were raised about the necessity of the development, with some pointing out the existence of an established motorway service area (MSA) at Scotch Corner, just a few miles north of the proposed site. These objectors argued that the council's own planning guidelines require a "justifiable need" for such developments, which they claimed had not been met.

Others voiced concerns about the environmental impact of the development. The site is currently an unspoiled greenfield area supporting diverse bird species, and many fear that the construction of the service station will disrupt this natural habitat. The potential for the development to set a precedent for future construction in the area was a concern.

Some residents feared that the service station could act as a "launch site" for further building, creating an urban link through to Catterick Village and negatively impacting its rural identity. Despite these objections, the developers have made claims about the sustainability of the project. The construction of the service station is expected to last 12 months.

In addition to the creation of job opportunities, the development promises' improved walking and cycling links', a staff travel plan, and a 30-year maintenance plan for on-site ecology.

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North Yorkshire Council has outlined several key obligations for the developers, including an on-site ecology management plan and off-site compensation for ecological loss, to be managed by the Lower Ure Conservation Trust.

The council has also signed off on a section 106 agreement, which includes a staff travel plan with a shuttle bus, cycle parking, and a car-sharing scheme.

With the approval now in place, the developers will need to navigate the conditions set out by the council, as well as the continued concerns of the local community.