Deputy prime minister said greenfield site could be class as grey belt amid concerns over harm to wildlife
Angela Rayner has approved Howells鈥� plans for a supersized version of Cumbria鈥檚 famous Tebay service station in Cheshire after deciding the site meets the definition of the new grey belt land class.
Controversial proposals for the Tatton Services scheme, which has been designed for Tebay Services owner Westmorland Family, were approved by Cheshire East council in 2023 despite provoking considerable opposition from local residents.
The consent included a condition that it should be referred to the secretary of state for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) for final sign-off due to the scale of the scheme and its location on green belt land.
It is set to be three times the size of its northern sister station on the M6, which has gained a cult following for motorists driving to and from Scotland due to its dramatic rural setting and its farm shop selling a vast array of artisanal food.
Located on a 16ha site between junctions seven and eight of the M56 motorway near Altrincham, south west of Manchester, it will contain a 6,300 sq m shop building, a 100-bedroom hotel, a 1,000 sq m fuel station, electric vehicle charging stations and a refurbishment of an existing early 19th century farmhouse.
The application received more than 150 letters of objection flagging the potential loss of ancient woodland, loss of wildlife, additional traffic and the lack of need for another service station on the M56.
The council also received a letter from local MP and Conservative Party chairman Graham Brady highlighting concerns raised by his constituents over the scheme鈥檚 impact on existing local businesses and doubts over whether it justified the loss of green belt land.
However, MHCLG has now signed off the scheme following a public inquiry held in October last year which resulted in a recommendation for approval from planning inspector David Rose.
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook, writing on behalf of Rayner, the communities secretary, said Rayner agreed with the inspector鈥檚 recommendation that a need for a motorway service station on this part of the road network is 鈥渋ndisputable鈥�.
Rayner is said to have concluded that the site meets the definition of grey belt, a new land classed broadly defined as poor quality areas of the green belt which was created in the government鈥檚 revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework last December.
Pennycook said Rayner considered the site to be 鈥渆ssentially a standalone pocket of land鈥� surrounded by motorway infrastructure and its development as a service station 鈥渨ould not fundamentally undermine鈥� the purposes of the green belt.
The NPPF defines grey belt as land that 鈥渄oes not strongly contribute鈥� to three defined green belt purposes, preventing urban sprawl, preventing towns merging into one another and preserving the setting of historic towns. Rayner said the Tatton Services scheme would not contribute to any of these purposes.
She also agreed with the inspector that any additional traffic would be limited and restricted to a series of roundabouts close to the site.
Cheshire East鈥檚 planning officer had recommended the scheme for approval despite arguing that it 鈥渞educes openness and encroaches into the countryside鈥�.
But the officer added that these impacts were 鈥渃learly outweighed鈥� by the need for the service station and its economic benefits.
The plans have been developed by a joint venture between Westmorland Family and developer Pegasus Group, with the project team including lead architect Howells, landscape architect Planit IE and MEP, sustainability and energy consultant Ramboll.
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