New Gloucestershire M5 services on track for construction
SPADES will be in the ground and diggers on site for a new M5 service station before Christmas.
Motorway services operator Westmoreland is on track to build the new Brookthorpe stop-off after a long legal battle.
Company boss Sarah Dunning gave county leaders a preview of the site on Thursday.
"We hope to be building before Christmas," she said. "We don't have a certain date set yet, we will work to our timetable but we are still committed and yesterday's visit was about the opportunity the project presents."
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After Stroud District Council awarded planning permission for the services just over a year ago, two rival motorway services operators and objectors launched a bid for a judicial review.
While that went through the courts, it meant Westmoreland and Gloucestershire Gateway Trust could not start work on the £40million service stations between junctions 11a and 12.
In February the High Court turned down the legal challenge by Roadchef and Welcome Break, backed by Harescombe and Brookthorpe-with-Whaddon parish councils, and Campaign Against Motorway Service Area (CAMSA). A subsequent appeal failed.
Westmoreland, which runs the acclaimed Tebay services in Cumbria, and the trust, say the new services will create 300 new jobs.
Mrs Dunny refused to be drawn on the move, from Welcome Break, which runs Michaelwood service area to the south, and Roadchef, which has the Strensham services to the north.
"The judicial review process has been a long one and clearly a lot of work could not be done while that was done," she said.
"They have a right to undertake that process and took it up."
At the original hearing at Birmingham County Court the claimants said the council had not paid enough attention to reports saying the services would have a detrimental effect and would be harmful to the landscape.
But that was rejected, as was an appeal, meaning the planning permission still stood.
Comments
by BARCABOY
Saturday, November 03 2012, 4:13PM
“so if Tebay is in "the back of beyond" some would say that the services there would be much more disruptive to the countryside and wildlife than the propsed new one in Glos which is near a major City and two towns - completely comparable.”
by justbecause
Sunday, September 09 2012, 7:49AM
“great stuff! building is what we all need in Gloucestershire right now! Big projects bring short term boosts and long term stability to the county!”
by LordGagas
Saturday, September 08 2012, 6:10PM
“MrGarnet
if you believe that you will believe any thing”
by LordGagas
Saturday, September 08 2012, 6:07PM
“Ysedra
its to do with money”
by MrGarnet
Saturday, September 08 2012, 4:04PM
“It will create more jobs in the area so that to me is good news.”
by FreeRadical1
Saturday, September 08 2012, 3:46PM
“Another piece of countryside lost to development. And it's going to get worse, what with the government's plans to 'relax' the planning laws.”
by Raccoon
Saturday, September 08 2012, 1:57PM
“Tebay's in the back of beyond. There's no comparison.”
by BARCABOY
Saturday, September 08 2012, 1:45PM
“I understand the concerns with the countryside but having been to the Tebay services numerous times I am confident that the disruption to any natural habitats will be minimal and done in the right way (if there is a right way). I certainly think this is less concerning than the number of houses that get built on flood plains etc..
In any case this will generate jobs for local people which is great to know given that today there is another story about travelodge in Gloucester potentially folding and making people redundant...”
by Raccoon
Saturday, September 08 2012, 1:29PM
“No footbridge, but there is already an underpass, currently used by an occasional walker or horse rider during the day and by wild animals at night, thus keeping them off the carriageway. Just how wildlife is supposed to carry on using the underpass when the services are built is not clear to me. The light pollution is going to affect glow worms as well.”
by Ysedra
Saturday, September 08 2012, 11:53AM
“I suppose in theory, it only needs to be on the southbound side, but I'm sure it will be both, with maybe a footbridge.
It's quite odd how massive support (Meadow Park) or opposition (India House) don't make a lick of difference to how a planning decision turns out.”