Decision on controversial Gosforth A1 service station near McDonald’s delayed after last-minute objection

Newcastle city councillors had been due to rule on Friday morning on whether new roadside services can be built on a field in Rotary Way.

More than 80 objections had been lodged against the development, which would include a filling station and a drive-through cafe, but it had been recommended for approval by city planners.

However, the council’s planning committee deferred its verdict to a later date after an 11th hour objection.

Councillors were told that the North Brunton Park Management Company, which manages the facilities on the north side of the road, had objected on grounds that the developer does not have an agreement to connect to the sewage system running across their land.

There is an existing petrol station on the other side of Rotary Way to the proposed facilities, as well as a Travelodge, McDonald’s, and the Falcon’s Nest pub.

Council officers said they were “uncomfortable” with a “conflict” between the landowners’ claims and information provided by Northumbrian Water, which had stated that it was satisfied with applicant Brookfield Property (Holdings) Limited’s drainage plans.

Local residents objecting to the scheme have expressed fears that it could add to traffic jams in an already busy area and would be “completely unnecessary” given the neighbouring facilities.

The three Liberal Democrat councillors for the Parklands ward said residents were worried that “their lives are going to be severely impacted by the increased traffic that could be using the area if this planning application is approved”.

However, city planners had found that the development would have “minimal” traffic impact as well as “no direct noise impacts” to nearby houses.

In its planning application, the developer said that it would plant 91 new trees, 159 shrubs, and 421m of new hedgerows, as well as new meadow grassland “to ensure significant ecological enhancements are delivered”.

An earlier version of the project, which included two drive-through units rather than only one, was refused planning permission in 2023 on grounds of overdevelopment and harm to the environment.

The updated planning application reads: “Careful consideration has been given to the design of the roadside services to ensure it responds to the existing site context to provide a balance of functional capacity and the preservation of the environment and local amenity. At the scale proposed, the development will sit comfortably within the extent of the site retaining as much of the existing landscape as possible and whilst allowing for extensive replacement planting and new habitat creation.”