Moto has submitted a revised planning application for a motorway service area (MSA) at land adjacent to Junction 6 of the M3 near Basingstoke, Hampshire.
A previous application for a similar development was submitted to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council in 2017. This application remains undetermined.
The revised application is said to take into account ‘significant’ changes to highway development schemes since 2017.
The new outline planning application, prepared by Smith Jenkins Planning & Heritage on behalf of Moto, is for the development of a new MSA; an amenity building; a fuel filling station and kiosk; and associated landscaping, infrastructure and ancillary works.
The new proposal has several major differences to the original 2017 scheme. These include the removal of the hotel and drive-thru Costa to make space for higher levels of HGV and EV charging (including eHGV) and a review and update to the proposed drainage strategy.
The proposed parking incorporates 78 car and eight HGV active EV parking spaces with all spaces designed to meet the requirements for ‘passive’ provision therefore enabling future conversion and roll out of additional charging infrastructure as required.
Various natural and sustainable features have been incorporated into the proposed design to help the scheme achieve a score of BREEAM Very Good. These include a proposed green roof on the amenity building, a natural bund around the perimeter of the site, the introduction of blue infrastructure and substantial tree planting.
Moto’s planning statement says a new MSA at Junction 6 of the M3 would make a “significant contribution” to both meeting the need for HGV parking facilities in this location and providing additional EV charging infrastructure to support national and local policy initiatives. It also says that Moto has conducted an ASA (alternative sites assessment) which demonstrates that this site is the most suitable location to deliver a new MSA facility.
In addition to the 2017 scheme, Moto put in a full planning application in November 2020 for “Construction of temporary access road to enable construction of Basingstoke Motorway Service Area (Land at M3 Junction 6 From Junction 5 Off Slip”.
It is understood Moto will pursue its original 2017 application as well as this revised one in the hope that the Council will agree to one of them.
To date there have been 19 objections to the new scheme.
