Dynamic Transport Planning have successfully supported a planning appeal for the development of a new Roadside Service Area off the A14 between Elmswell and Woolpit, Suffolk. The development has now been granted planning approval following the decision by the Planning Inspectorate to uphold the appeal by EG Group Ltd against the decision of Mid-Suffolk Council.
The refusal of permission by the planning authority was based on a single reason, related to highways matters, and DTP provided expert witness evidence in support of the appeal. A part-award of costs was also awarded to the appellant in relation to the appeal.
DTP had been appointed to assist with the proposals for the site, picking up from an earlier refusal for a similar development, and whilst the application had received a recommendation for approval by planning officers, and also had the support of the Local Highway Authority and National Highways, the scheme had been refused by the planning committee.
In support of the planning appeal DTP were able to successfully respond third-party comments provide on behalf of the planning authority, while also retaining the support of the LHA and National Highways, with the appeal including the agreement of a unilateral undertaking to provide non-car access improvements.
Gavin Snowball, Director at DTP, said “I am very pleased to see a positive outcome for this development. This is a site that is well located at an existing trunk road junction to provide amenity and associated safety benefits for passing motorists on this section of the strategic highway network.”
Alex Kenwright, Development Director at EG Group Ltd said “we are delighted to finally receive planning consent for this site after a number of years and now look forward to delivering the scheme. I would like to thank Gavin and the team at DTP for their invaluable expertise & support in achieving a positive outcome for this site. DTP were key to unlocking this tricky site.”
The planning team for the appeal included Montagu Evans as planning agent and ADS Design as scheme architects.
Roadside developments are one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK. It may feel like we are just following the Americans but the reality is the sector has swept the globe and continues to innovate for the future. Roadside developments and drive-thru developments may feel like an emerging trend but can you name a county without one? Even places of outstanding beauty have innovated to bring the local farm shop to be a roadside service area and tourist attraction.
So why should you consider creating a roadside development?
Stood The Test of Covid
Roadside developments may have seemed like the worst hit when the cars disappeared off the roads for all but essential travel in March 2020 but they were also one fo the quickest sectors to recover. As soon as drive-thru restaurants had their covid procedures in place and their supply lines were back up and running towns, cities and retail parks were plagued with extensive queues.
This may have given drive-thru’s some bad press at the time but it actually shows how much these facilities have become part of the every day lives of families across the country. What was once considered a luxury to us ten years ago such as a burger meal or a specialist coffee now seems to be an essential part of our routines… and a pandemic wasn’t going to keep us from them.
People Want an Easy Life
We don’t present this in a bad way. There are days when time runs away from us and we just can’t fit in a meal out, or we’ve forgotten to do the shopping or maybe the home shopping delivery substituted your chicken with toilet duck? Drive-Thru lanes attract everyone from those on their way home from work, taxi service to outdoor sports and even the late night attendee happy to order from their car in the comfort of their pyjamas. At the end of the day people want easy access and all the better if you can give them the option of popping in or staying in their car.
The demand for convenience food
According to Statista.com the average spend on eating out per person in the UK has risen from £10 per week to £15 per week. This trend looks set to continue post Covid. Developers and Entrepreneurs are constantly looking to innovate in ways to get their products to consumers meaning that customers aren’t just faced with the same choices.
The small local coffee shop established their brand and is now working on fitting out a container with a drive-thru lane whilst a local curry house is exploring the option of serving thali meals on a drive-thru basis. The sector is changing to meet our changing taste and demands and welcoming more global brands to the UK.
Gaps in provision
For anyone who has ever been driving along and thought ‘I could do with a coffee’ but couldn’t find an outlet then a roadside development may be the solution. Spotting gaps in provision is a great way to locate suitable land for development as applications may be looked on more favourably if alternative local provision isn’t available.
Not just drive-thru
Roadside developments aren’t just drive-thru units. They can be farm shops, tea rooms and tourist spots that have tapped in to the roadside sector. You don’t have to create a drive-thru to provide a great customer experience, but it is always worth exploring if it would help to increase your offering and entice more visitors.
Changing Trends
One of the biggest changing trends we have seen is the reduction in use of large car parking areas in places like supermarkets, retail parks and shopping centres. Innovators in the roadside industry have been quick to explore if this land can be repurposed to provide drive-thru restaurants and coffee shops. After all the development will definitely be situated next to it’s target audience – the car user. Where will the next entrants to the sector identify excess land due to change of levels of use?
Climate Change?
Elephant in the room or an opportunity? With a sector reliant on the motor vehicle it may seem odd to some to see it still as a growing sector but with change comes opportunity and innovation. With a target for electric cars to be the main vehicles on the road, charging stations need to be provided. The big petrol stations and roadside facilities are already including provision for EV charging but their main focus isn’t on providing the facility to charge… it’s how the driver with spend their average of 20 minutes waiting to get back on the road. The sector will need to provide more enticing offerings for drivers to choose their facility to stop at. There will still be a mix of people travelling for business and for pleasure so how will they accommodate both of these audiences at their facilities?
As you can see there is plenty to consider when choosing the roadside sector and it can feel a little overwhelming with so many innovations on the horizon. Dynamic Transport Planning use their in-depth knowledge and huge bank of expertise in roadside facilities, petrol filling stations and drive-thru units to help guide you through the process and create the best site for you and your customer. Find out more about our Roadside Expertise or Contact Us.
Fed up of having the same choice when you are on the road? It does seem like the same brands are everywhere now, so it was only a matter of time before the biggest roadside operators and brands realised we needed something new to keep us interested. We have picked out five brands that are arriving and/or growing in the UK with big plans for 2021.
Leon
A brand we are getting used to seeing on high streets and railway stations is making their way to service stations across the country. Two counters have opened around the M25 with further openings planning including Leeds and Cobham. The offerings are great for those looking for a healthier option, seeking out vegan food or craving a fish finger wrap (yes they do those!).
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Sbarro
Has anybody else been craving some ‘real’ New York Pizza in the UK? Well EG Group have partnered with Sbarro to bring their version of NY pizza to the UK. Already building a name in Ireland, the first counter in UK opened in Birmingham with more being rolled out across the country including at Frontier Park, Blackburn. This should hopefully help to fill the gap in the market for slices of pizza and an alternative to the deeper pan Greggs pizza slice at service stations.
Cinnabon
Possibly the most famous American brand not to have expanded outside of London tourist places, EG Group are again bringing this well known brand to the rest of the UK with 150 planned openings in their roadside offerings up and down the country.
NKD Pizza
NKD Pizza might be known to those in Burnley or Edinburgh but it hasn’t yet made a name for itself across the country. EG seem to have their eye on the pizza game, partnering with NKD Pizza to trial the new concept ‘Slices by NKD Pizza’ to a couple of their outlets. We guess time will tell who takes the lead in the EG Pizza race and we can’t help wondering what the head of pizza brands chooses for their lunch at the new EG headquarters….
Tim Hortons
You may have been living under a rock, or at least away from Facebook, if you event noticed that adverts for Tim Horton drive-thru popping up, especially in the north of the UK and Scotland. They franchisee has taken an aggressive growth campaign, one which may have paid huge dividends given the reliance of the UK on drive-thru over the past 12 months. Their last directive was to ‘open in every major city and town in the UK by 2022’ and create over 2000 jobs. We haven’t had one pop up in County Durham yet tho….. just pointing that out.
So will the market be shaken up with new arrivals in 2021 and beyond? There’s been a rumoured Denny’f for years that has never materialised. The Cheesecake Factory made it to Dubai but never UK. Will we continue to invite major brands over or will operators start creating spaces for local independent brands? Anything really could happen as we get through the vaccination programme and hopefully start to live life more freely again.
