| Road: | A1 at St Leonard's Junction (also accessible to traffic on the A197) (open map) |
| Signposted from the road? | TBC |
| Previous names: | Lancaster Gate |
| Services type: | Single site located at a junction |
⚠️ Please note that this service area is not yet open.
The Morpeth Northern Bypass opened in 2017, and opened new pieces of land up for development. One of the roundabouts at the new St Leonard's Junction includes provision for an additional exit to be added.
Before it was finished, EG Group announced their intention to use this land to develop a new service area, hotel and innovation centre.
An access road will be attached to the St Leonard's Junction, which will link to a new roundabout. On the left with be the entrance to the hotel and restaurant, while on the right will be the entrance to the forecourt and the "innovation centre". An innovation centre is basically five units that can be used as warehouses or offices.
EG Group develop a lot of forecourts, but Morpeth will be slightly different, in that it will have a large amenity building, with a separate entrance for non-fuel customers. This is very similar to what they built many years ago at Monmouth, and their Rivington motorway site. This is different to the original proposal, which had three separate drive thru units instead.
The development will have 122 car parking spaces, 8 HGV parking spaces and 4 electric vehicle charging points. The provision of HGV parking is again more than might be expected, and suggests this will be a full service area that will qualify for official signage on the A1.
The development is keen to share its sustainable credentials, which apparently includes the fact it's positioned on a trunk road. More importantly it will have public footpath connections to the nearby Lancaster Park housing estate and a road connection to the new housing estate.
Outline planning permission was granted in 2016. The finer details weren't approved until July 2023, and some amendments continue to be made.
Alternatives
| Previous: | Next: | |
| Stannington (4 miles) | Services on the A1 | Willowtree (21 miles) Cawledge (21 miles) |
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