Plans for M56 service station at Tatton take step forward

After the initial scheme was unveiled last year, Tatton Services Ltd is now seeking permission from Cheshire East Council to create a Tebay-style motorway service station between junctions seven and eight.

The project is an 80/20 partnership between the Westmorland family, the UK’s first award winning family-owned motorway services business and landowners, the Tatton Estate.

According to the plans,the site will feature a farm shop, kitchen and hotel to provide ‘a true break’ for travellers away from the motorway.

Tatton Services would also create 558 jobs during a two-year construction and employ 223 staff, if approved.

Artist impression of the new hotel at Tatton Services (Image: Tatton Services)

The concept is based on the successful Tebay Services on the M6, run by farmers John and Barbara Dunning, which champions home grown food, crafts and clothes.

The vision, described in the planning document, is ‘to create a truly sustainable business which is ready to embrace a different future of food, buildings and travel.

What the proposed new Tatton Services will look like

“Visitors will feel like they are arriving on a farm.”

The family aims to showcase Cheshire farmers and food producers in a farm shop.

All the food served in the open kitchen will be freshly cooked from scratch on site.

“The team wanted to celebrate and showcase the food offer in a more blended experience akin to a food hall where a variety of different stalls are presented to cater to all traveller needs,” states the application.

“The kitchens that produce much of the food are visible and therefore reinforcing the farm-to-fork ethos and celebrating food production.”

A building with a barn style roof and exposed timbers will create a spacious eating area.

A barn style roof and exposed timber will create a spacious eating area

Visitors will arrive through a kitchen garden, where herbs, plants and fruit will be grown.

Seating dotted throughout the garden will be create a relaxing space for travellers to chill out.

A drive-thru, café and shop will be provided for HGV drivers and short-stay motorists.

The proposed hotel will have 100 bedrooms designed in ‘a colour palette of calm natural organic tones with a use of timber throughout’.

Artist impression of the new Tatton Services

The material and forms in all the buildings will be ‘sensitive to the landscape’ and reflect a traditional British farm.

A fuel barn will have 12 traditional pumps, 54 high powered chargers for electric vehicles plus 42 standard powered chargers, with capacity to expand to meet future demand.

Visitors will walk through gardens to reach the kitchen eating area

More than four million customers a year are expected to visit the service station, situated between junctions seven and eight.

Plans state Tatton Services could generate £36 million annual turnover.

Access will be directly via Bowdon interchange or southern Bowdon roundabout through Yarwoodheath Lane.

The proposed Tatton Services

Some modifications will be required for the roundabout but the proposed access avoids any new junctions directly onto the M56.

Feedback received during extensive public consultation has been taken into account.

No major changes to the design were required because developers say the majority of comments had already been considered.

“The proposed scheme has been designed to the highest standards, using innovative materials to evoke a traditional agricultural sense of place,” states the policy assessment.

“Drivers needing to take a break will arrive in a beautifully designed motorway service area.

“Buildings have been designed to be made safe, inclusive and accessible.

“Health and wellbeing has been considered as a key element of the sustainability strategy.”

Councillors hope to make a decision by July.

For more information and to comment on the plans, search reference 22/0872M on the council's online planning portal.

The deadline for comments is April 21.