Motorway rest area at Land at Junction 16 (M4)

“PL/2023/09142 Site Address Land at Junction 16 (M4), Swindon Proposal Outline application (with Access to be determined) for development of a new Motorway Rest Area (MRA) to provide up to 241 car parking spaces; up to 63 Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) parking spaces; coach and caravan parking; amenity building; fuel filling station; new roundabout access from B4005; and associated landscaping, infrastructure and ancillary works.”

“Site Description: The application Site comprises 7.28 ha of agricultural land. The Site is located immediately adjacent to the east of Junction 16 (J16) of the M4 motorway. The B4005 (Hay Lane) runs along the western and southern boundaries and the M4 runs along the northern boundary. The site is located approximately 1km to the southwest of the settlement of Freshbrook and 5km to the city centre of Swindon.”

“The eastern side of which (within the administrative boundary of Swindon) is an established Gypsy & Traveller site accessed off Hay Lane (the B4005), approximately 236m from the site boundary’s nearest point separated by an agricultural field and mature vegetation. Junction 16 of the M4 is located immediately to the northwest of the site. To the west of the site are further fields, parcels of woodland and a solar farm.”

“Planning History: There is no recent planning history on the site relevant to this application. There is however an existing live application ref: PL/2025/00700 for the ‘erection of a car dealership (Sui Generis) and ancillary preparation centre; associated access, parking, landscaping, drainage and infrastructure’ on land the other side of J16.”

“Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires decisions to be made in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. In this case, the proposal is an outline application for a new Motorway Rest Area (MRA) adjacent to M4 Junction 16, including HGV parking, car parking, coach and caravan parking, EV charging, amenity building, fuel filling station, new access roundabout from the B4005 and associated works.”

“3) Economic Benefits (Jobs and Investment) – Significant Weight The proposal is a major investment (circa £30m) with a minimum of 150 new fulltime jobs on opening, alongside construction-phase employment and longer-term expenditure benefits. In line with the economic objective of the NPPF and relevant WCS objectives for a resilient economy, these benefits are afforded…”

“National Highways: No objection subject to conditions.”

“Pollution and Environmental Impacts • Increased air pollution from HGVs and 24‑hour vehicle movements. • Noise pollution affecting nearby residential areas, particularly night‑time disturbance. • Light pollution in what is currently a rural and unlit landscape, affecting residential amenity, dark skies and protected species (e.g., bats). • Risk of waste‑related impacts, including odour, vermin, and insufficient detail on waste storage/collection.”

“Gypsy & Traveller Community Impacts • Noise, light and traffic effects harming living conditions. • Proximity to what is viewed as an industrial‑scale facility conflicting with national standards for Gypsy & Traveller sites. • Safety concerns accessing allotments opposite the site. • Potential equalities impacts due to a protected demographic group. • Alleged failure to notify and consult site residents during earlier stages of application.”

“Questions were raised about why residents at the Hay Lane Gypsy and Traveller site had not received neighbour notification letters. Officers explained that statutory consultation requires letters only to adjoining properties, and the Traveller site did not physically adjoin the application site. A further constraint was that the site lay within the Swindon Borough Council area, meaning those addresses were not held within Wiltshire Council’s system.”

“A debate followed where Members thanked public speakers for their contributions and acknowledged the concerns raised regarding the nearby Gypsy and Traveller site. Members also thanked officers for their comprehensive report.”

“Following the debate the motion was put to the vote, and it was…”

“To delegate to the head of Development Management to grant outline planning permission subject to the prior completion of a Section 106 legal agreement to cover the contributions identified in Section 10 of the report, with the addition of securing the provision of a dog waste bin for the PRoW and arrangements for its periodic emptying, and subject to the following planning conditions set out below (as agreed with the applicants):”