Former Forecourt Trader of the Year Jonathan James has won planning permission for a £2m store and petrol filling station on the Soham by-pass in Cambridgeshire.

His company, James Construction and Developments, had applied to build the petrol station on land next to the A142 roundabout.

James no longer operates any filling stations and the site will be operated by BP/Simply Foods. He is already landlord of four of his former sites with two leased to BP and two to Applegreen.

A report by East Cambridgeshire District Council planners said: “The national need for petrol filling stations is widely recognised. The proposal will provide much needed facilities both for fuel and to meet the identified need for a convenience retail facility to the north of Soham.”

The report also said there was no conflict with the national or local planning policy and there would be “no harm to the highway capacity or safety”.

The forecourt will have 10 fuel pumps and a canopy, a drive-through car wash, two jet wash bays and three air/water/vacuum facilities with car parking and landscaping.

It will be a 24-hour facility but with no provision for use by HGVs.