Top 50 Indie Applegreen has revealed plans for a third motorway service area (MSA) in mainland Britain, at junction 33 of the M1 between Sheffield and Rotherham.

Last August it launched a consultation with residents for an MSA near junction 4 of the M42, and a month later it approached Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council about proposals to build a motorway service station on the M3 at a site called Kennel Farm.

For its latest Rotherham and Sheffield Gateway proposals it has invited local residents to consultation meetings and set up a website with details of its plan.

It says it has identified this stretch of the motorway as needing an MSA to meet government regulations that set a maximum distance of 28 miles between facilities.

In addition to the main services building the project comprises: a fuel forecourt area, parking for 498 cars, 19 motorbikes, 67 HGvs, 15 coaches and 18 spaces for caravans. There will also be separate refuelling facilities for HGV and an HGV driver amenity.

The site already has planning consent for a petrol filling station and two hotels.

Applegreen’s proposal is a rival to a scheme proposed by Extra at Junction 35 of the M1. The MSA operator was granted planning permission for its Sheffield Services by Sheffield City Council in March 2014, but the plans were put on hold following protests because the scheme would destroy the 12th century Smithy Wood.

Applegreen has emphasised the environmental credentials of its scheme saying it will be built on brownfield land and will preserve existing greenbelt.

It has also highlighted its “low fuel prices always” price promise and said all other services will be at high street prices.

Although Applegreen has no MSAs on the British mainland it has two in Northern Ireland and claims to be the number one MSA operator in the Republic of Ireland.