PLANS have been revealed to build a hotel and coffee shop as part of a new motorway service station on the M3 at Basingstoke.

Proposals have been submitted to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to build a 100-room hotel, a drive-thru Costa Coffee, petrol station and a shop on agricultural land to the south of Junction 6 of the M3.

The planning application further outlines parking provision for cars, coaches, motorcycles and caravans.

The proposal, put forward by Moto Hospitality, would also involve alterations to the roundabout and slip roads of the current junction.

Mark Franks, Moto Hospitality’s property director, said: “This proposed service area will provide an important rest stop for what is a major route.”

Moto Hospitality states the proposal will create 215 permanent jobs, as well as more in the construction phase of the project.

Mr Franks added: “In addition to providing that much needed facility, our plans will bring many new jobs as well as helping to secure investment in the local economy.”

The site will cover 21.34 hectares of land and will provide 615 car spaces, 50 light good vehicle spaces, 24 motorcycle spaces and 18 caravan spaces.

The plan follows a previous proposal submitted by Applegreen Plc which had drawn up a planning application for a separate southbound service station just five miles away, near Junction 7, between Dummer and Farleigh Wallop.

It has been eight years since Moto Hospitality has opened any new services but concerns have been raised over whether this development would take away land which could be developed for new housing around the Basingstoke area.

Concerns have also arisen over the disruption caused by the alterations to the adjoining roundabout on the M3 and its slip roads to form an access point and also works to the highway to allow access to the proposed services.

There have also been doubts raised about the need for the development, particularly because of the existing services at Winchester and Fleet.

The issues were raised at public consultations, but Moto Hospitality still believe the creation of the new services is a project it wishes to pursue and will help the local economy.

For more information on the plan and to comment, go to https://planning.basingstoke.gov.uk/online-applications/ and search for the planning reference code 17/03487/FUL.

The plan is due to be decided by February 1, 2018.