Plans for motorway services development on M56 just miles from Manchester set to be approved

Plans for a new service station on the M56 are set to be approved by Cheshire East Council. The new services would be at Tatton park, around 20 miles outside of Manchester. 

The services would create hundreds of new jobs and is the creation of a joint venture which is 80% the Westmorland Family and 20% Tatton Park. Westmorland has other service stations within their portfolio including Tebay and Gloucester. 

Tatton Services would be built on a greenbelt site between junctions 7 and 8 of the M56. The plans will be discussed at a council meeting next week. 

A planning application was previously submitted by Westmorland to Cheshire East Council. The planning committee of the council has recommended that the plans be given the green light. 

Planners have said that 325 jobs will be created at the services, and over 500 in the expected two year construction process. Within the plans are a 100 bedroom hotel and a petrol station.  

The group behind the plans have made commitments to employing local residents; and a provision of relevant training. They anticipate that Tatton Services is likely to support 130 local suppliers and 70 regional suppliers and they want it to contribute a minimum of £100,000 per annum to local charities and community causes.

Local objections

There has been some objection to the service station plans, with a reported 150 letters of objection being received by the council to 30 in support of the project. The council has also pointed out that due to the size of the proposed development, the final decision would need to be referred to the Secretary of State. 

The report from Cheshire East Council planning officers said: "Whilst there will be some localised harm to the open rural character of the site, the visual effects are tempered by the position of the site surrounded by the strategic road network and proposed landscaping.

"The design approach for the development to reflect a modern farmstead is a positive aspect of the proposal, and adequate open space is provided having regard to the location, type and scale of development. There are not considered to be any preferable alternative sites for the services.”

To view the full planning application, visit the Tatton Services Proposal website