A living green roof with wild flowers and rainwater harvesting, EV charging, and solar panels have been incorporated into outline plans submitted for a 24-hour Moto Hospitality service station south of Swindon.
The proposed Wiltshire service station at junction 16 of the M4 has raised concerns with local Royal Wootton Bassett residents worried about worsening traffic for the rural Wiltshire town.
Moto Hospitality hopes to be operating from the 7.3 hectare greenfield site by January 2027, and is optimistic Wiltshire Council will give the project the go ahead. As well as a fuel forecourt, the plan includes 241 car parking spaces, and up to 63 spaces for heavy goods vehicles, as well as coach and caravan parking. There will also be an amenity building, with wifi, plug points for customers to charge devices, and a free phone for emergencies. There will be solar panels on the canopy and over the HGV and private vehicle filling station.The site will have access from the B4005.
The proposed development will provide 50 EV charging spaces, with all remaining car and HGV spaces capable of being upgraded to provide EV charging. In the cover letter for the planning application Smith Jenkins Planning & Heritage says that the infrastructure is greatly needed in the south-west, which is rated the sixth lowest region in the UK for EV devices per 100,000 population.
Moto Hospitality, said: “Our plans have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the local community with the project bringing in a wave of new job opportunities, much needed EV infrastructure and addressing the lack of HGV parking spots, which we know is an ongoing concern to both drivers and local residents in the area.
“We’ve actively encouraged local stakeholders to engage with us throughout the consultation process. The response has been incredibly encouraging and has driven our design process. Since we submitted our application in October, we continue to work constructively with statutory consultees and council officers as we work towards a determination.
“We’re proud to have reflected their key priorities in our planning application, such as the use of solar panels as a source of sustainable energy and a living green roof within our final plans and future-proofed our proposals for the transition to EV.”
The business said it also has the backing of MP for South Swindon Sir Robert Buckland. “His public support underscores the importance of a rest stop ‘fit for the future’, emphasising the creation of a much-needed rest area for drivers, a vital facility that promotes road safety and combats driver fatigue,” said the company.
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