Greggs to open 24-hour ‘pod bakery’ at services after policy change
Greggs has been granted permission to open a 24-hour ‘pod bakery’ at a motorway service station – a year after a similar scheme was refused.
Wakefield Council has given go-ahead for the company to open the outlet at Welcome Break services, on the A1 southbound at Darrington.
The scheme includes replacing an office building with the new unit as part of plans to modernise the services.
In April last year, the local authority rejected the plan after an officer’s report said the new premises would be double the size of the existing office building.
The officer said at the time: “By virtue of its scale, the proposed development would have a greater impact on the greenbelt.”The company then made an appeal to the
Planning Inspectorate but the council’s decision was upheld by an inspector.
The proposals were re-submitted after government policy relating to development within the greenbelt was “substantially and materially updated” in December 2024, according to a further report.
A new planning statement submitted by the company said: “The proposal intends to improve facilities for motorists using the site.
“The food and beverage offer within the services are not in accordance with contemporary expectations of motorists.
“The site as existing is occupied by an office building which is tired in appearance, provides no service to users of the services nor a beneficial quality to the operator.
“The proposed building will be of a high-quality appearance.”
The company said the new single-storey facility would be “only marginally of greater height” than the structure is would replace.
The statement added: “Overall, it is considered that the proposal represents a sustainable and appropriate design, which relates directly to the site’s permitted use and to its physical, social and environmental context reflecting the requirements of national and local planning policy.”
Approving the scheme, an officer’s report said: “Whilst the planning history of the site is noted, following changes to the national planning policy framework, it is considered that the development proposed would be appropriate in this greenbelt location.
“This change in policy has overcome the previous reason for refusal.
“Furthermore, it is not considered that the development proposed would result in harm to access and highway safety, flood risk and drainage, residential or visual amenity.”