North Yorkshire Council approves controversial scheme to build new motorway service area
Controversial plans for new motorway services off the A1(M) near Boroughbridge have been given the go-ahead by councillors.
The Welcome Break services area between junctions 48 and 49 would provide parking for 364 cars, 90 HGVs, 18 coaches, caravans and motorcycles, together with fuel filling stations, a drive-through coffee shop and amenities.
Outline planning permission was granted for the Kirby Hill scheme in 2021 following a public inquiry after more than 20 years of legal wrangling.
Now councillors at North Yorkshire Council have passed the Reserved Matters application containing the details of the scheme.
Prior to today’s meeting of North Yorkshire Council Strategic Planning Committee, officers had said a new environmental impact assessment was unnecessary and the development was broadly consistent with existing permissions.
The officers said that neither National Highways, North Yorkshire Council's highways authority and ecologist, the Environment Agency nor Yorkshire Water had made objections.
But Kirby Hill Residents Against Motorway Services (RAMS) had issued a warning after planning officers recommended approval.
The group’s chairman, Gareth Owens, said “this is not the same thing as a lawful decision”, pointing to the proposed Catterick motorway services development where planning permission was quashed by the High Court after councillors had approved it.
More than 70 members of the public had raised fears over increased traffic, noise, light pollution and landscape harm.
Many parish councils in the area had also objected to the proposals for the new Welcome Break services, claiming the plans went far beyond what had been initially approved.