M4 junction 16 fresh service station plans submitted

Last October, Moto Hospitality submitted plans for a £30 million motorway rest area on land to the south of junction 16 at Swindon.

If approved, the site would be equipped with 63 new HGV spaces, 241 car parking spaces, a petrol station, and associated food and drink facilities.

But in September, nearly a year after the initial application was submitted, fresh plans were submitted to Wiltshire Council for consideration as part of this application.

A public consultation on these revised proposals is now ongoing and will close on October 25.

The original decision deadline for the plans was February this year, and this was later delayed until July, but following extensive consultations, assessments, and the submission of new designs, it is unclear when a decision is expected.

READ MORE: M4 Junction 16 service station plan moves closer with work

The site off the M4 (Image: Jason Spickett) Moto says its design team has taken a list of recommendations into account following a previous consultation.

These include buffer planting and an acoustic screen to reduce noise from the M4, tree planting to break up the lorry park and car park, a multi-functional landscape model, and suggestions for a green roof or solar panels.

In a design and access statement, Moto says the development would fill a “gap in services provision” in the area.

As well as the parking provision and filling station, which Moto believes addresses a “critical shortfall” of HGV rest areas, an amenity building would also offer food and drink services.

Last year, a spokesperson for Moto said: “The development pledges to enhance road safety by offering motorists a haven to rest, refresh, and refuel, thereby reducing the risks associated with fatigued driving.

“This innovative proposal will help to address the critical shortage of HGV parking spaces in the vicinity.

SEE ALSO: M4 junction 16 service station plans raise traffic fears

The proposed M4 services (Image: Moto) “Existing sites, such as the Swindon Truck Stop and Chippenham Pit Stop, are nearing full capacity, leading to HGVs parking in unsuitable locations, such as lay-bys and industrial estates.

“The scarcity of secure HGV spaces not only disrupts traffic flow but contributes to the industry's workforce retention challenges.”

But many residents have raised concerns about the impact of additional traffic on junction 16 and some of these fears were echoed by the council’s Highways Department in January.

Spokesperson Chris Mead said: “The access proposal creates queues and delays on the B4005 which do not currently occur at this location.

“This could have an impact on the capacity for the signals on junction 16 if traffic does not arrive in the pre-determined pattern.”