FAQS

There are long gaps between some existing service areas on the A1(M), while smaller sites on the A1 do not provide all the facilities drivers need. There are also limited rest and welfare facilities for HGV drivers and not enough electric vehicle charging points on the strategic road network. Doncaster Marr MSA is proposed next to Junction 37 of the A1(M) to help address these gaps. It would give drivers a safe and convenient place to stop, rest, refuel and recharge, helping to reduce tiredness and support safer journeys. The site is well placed for people travelling on the motorway and would be easy to reach from both directions.

The proposals include parking for cars, HGVs, coaches, caravans and motorcycles, so that different types of drivers have a safe and convenient place to stop. Around 355 car parking spaces are proposed, along with parking for around 70 HGVs, 14 coaches, 10 caravans and 16 motorcycles. The service area would also include toilets, showers, seating and rest areas, a shop, food and drink options, a drive-thru coffee shop, fuel facilities for cars, vans and small commercial vehicles, and separate fuel facilities for HGVs and coaches. Electric vehicle charging would be an important part of the scheme, with ultra-rapid charging for cars, ultra-rapid drive-thru charging for eHGVs and additional eHGV charging spaces that drivers can use while taking a rest break.

While it is too early to say what shops may be at Welcome Break Doncaster Marr, we have successful relationships with a range of well-known, high-quality brands. These relationships are built around our shared commitment to a more sustainable future. These include:

• Waitrose, pioneers in waste reduction
• Starbucks, committed to ethical sourcing, building green stores, preserving water and minimising environmental footprint
• KFC, driving environmental sustainability, animal welfare, healthier eating and not using Palm oil
• Burger King, committed to energy saving and waste reduction

Electric vehicle charging would be an important part of the scheme, with 44 ultra-rapid charging spaces for cars and vans and a further 18 spaces designed so they can become charging points in the future.

Our proposals include a dedicated space for a petrol/diesel filling station. While we are committed to the transition to electric vehicles, in line with Government policy, there will still be a requirement to support petrol and diesel cars for many years to come.

A previous application for a larger motorway service area, which included this site, was refused by Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council in December 2017. The application, reference 17/00301/FULM, raised concerns about development in the green belt and its effect on views of the site. An appeal against the decision was dismissed in July 2019. Welcome Break’s current proposal is more compact, covering a smaller area with a smaller main building and no hotel. National planning policy for motorway service areas and the green belt has also changed since the earlier decision. We believe the revised proposal responds to the previous concerns and should be considered in light of the latest planning policy.

Around half of the 11.1 hectare (27.5-acre) site would be set aside for landscaping and drainage. This would include new woodland planting to create a green buffer alongside the Long Plantation and Marr Ducker Holt Local Wildlife Sites, as well as wildflower grassland, ponds and other aquatic habitats. Further planting around the service area would help the development fit into its surroundings. Overall, the scheme is expected to deliver a biodiversity net gain well above the required 10%, leaving wildlife habitats in a better condition than before.

The service area would also support more sustainable travel by providing ultra-rapid electric vehicle charging for cars, ultra-rapid drive-thru charging for eHGVs and charging spaces that eHGV drivers can use during rest breaks.

Yes, the application site does fall within the green belt. However, changes in national planning policy introduced in December 2024 mean that MSAs can be considered as appropriate development in the green belt. Since 2024, planning permissions have been granted for a number of MSAs in the green belt where they were considered appropriate development.

The planning application will assess the potential effects of noise and lighting on any nearby homes, wildlife and the surrounding area. The design will include measures to limit these effects, and the supporting assessments will be available to view and comment on once the application has been submitted.

The proposals include ponds and other drainage features designed to manage surface water as part of the landscaped areas. A detailed flood risk and drainage assessment will accompany the planning application and explain how water would be managed without increasing flood risk elsewhere.

Drivers would enter and leave the service area through a new traffic-light controlled junction on Barnsley Road, close to the Junction 37 roundabout on the A1(M). A detailed traffic assessment will be submitted with the planning application. This will explain how the new access would work and consider any effects on traffic in the local area.

We intent to submit our planning application for the MSA to the City of Doncaster Council (CDC) in January 2027. When submitted, CDC will upload all of their application documents to their planning portal and there will be a formal consultation period where anyone can comment on the scheme. We shall also provide a link to the application documents on this website. As we have undertaken detailed pre-application consultation with the council, we are hopeful that the application will be determined in late 2027.

If planning permission is granted, a construction management plan would set out how traffic, working hours, noise, dust and deliveries would be managed. Further information would be provided before construction begins, including details of how people could raise any concerns during the work.

Welcome Break Doncaster Marr MSA is specifically designed to serve motorway users, but given its junction location, traffic using the MSA would route for a short distance on the local road network. In order to secure planning permission, it will be necessary for Welcome Break to demonstrate that there would be no increased congestion on the local road network. A combination of the new signalised junction into the MSA and works to the existing Junction 37 are designed to ensure there would be no adverse effects on local roads.

If the application is approved in late 2027, we would expect the construction to begin in 2028 and proceed for 18 months, with the new MSA to open in late 2029.

Around £50 million of investment would be brought to the area, creating around 200 jobs once the service area is open, with local people encouraged to apply for the new roles.

Our team would be happy to answer any questions either by email at info@welcomebreakdoncaster.co.uk or by phone on 0800 331 7098