Nottinghamshire residents have spoken of their concerns over the opening of a new service station close to the A1. The new services development is being built off Great North Road, Fernwood, where there will be a Starbucks, Burger King, Greggs, and Pret A Manger as well as a fuel station.
Plans for the multi-million pound service station were put forward by Alliance (GW) Limited on behalf of Welcome Break, which were approved by Newark and Sherwood District Council in November 2020. While many residents of the neighbouring Fernwood estate say they are looking forward to having the big brands and fuel station so close, some said they do have concerns over the traffic implications from the site.
These concerns were furthered after the council received an application to vary conditions so that the site could allow occupation prior to highways works, which residents feel could pose a safety risk. If approved, this could mean that the service station opens before the end of this year.
Read More: Life in 'Nottingham's very own Soho' where neighbours have 'everything they need'
Fernwood resident Leander Margison, 53, said: "It's just really about the children crossing, which I think is the biggest thing, just for safety measures." However, she added that once the service station will prove popular, saying: "I think my sons will go on the way home from school to get a sausage roll or something."
Mum Becky Holmes, 37, said: "Until it's safe, it shouldn't be open for operation and because of the school and the kids, they have to make it safe at the minute. Obviously lorries are going to go in there so it's going to be hard for them to go right."
However, she said the site will be "brilliant" once its ready. She said: "We have to travel so far for everything as it is all the other end of town for us. It will be really handy and it will create new jobs, my girls can't wait until they are 16 and can go work at Starbucks."
Retired Terry Hargreaves, 61, has concerns over the implications that the new service station will have on traffic in the area. He said: "It's actually being built just there when there is only one road from Newark to Fernwood.
"The thing about 50 or 60 lorries trying to get in and out of the petrol station with no right turn, I think that's an accident waiting to happen. The whole thing people don't seem to have thought about, is that the traffic has never been that bad around here except from house building. It's only going to get worse with the service station.
"If we can't get access into Newark then it's a problem." Terry said he would like to see another road built to connect Fernwood to the nearby town of Newark and village of Balderton.
He also has concerns regarding the number of houses being built in Fernwood, which will also add to the traffic. He said: "There could be about 8000 houses and that's an awful lot of people and lots of traffic, there will be an accident or something will happen.
When asked her thoughts on the service station, support worker, Tracy Waspe, 49, said: "I think the petrol station for me would be better. I don't think I would use the food and other bits.
A 35 year old office worker who did not wish to be named said: "It's quite good that it's going to be up there and so close to home. I think it will be good, it's creating far more jobs for people."
When asked her thoughts on the traffic from the site, she said: "I don't know really, especially on a Friday, it would be busy as it always is. It's great place, it would be better if we did have a different exit right here as we do only have that one exit out of Fernwood."
Public relations worker Victoria Watkins, 27, said: "To be honest I don't really care about it, but my partner is looking forward to Burger King. Probably our main concern is traffic turning right out of it.
"It's a real blind bend so while it's not so bad turning left, I think turning right will be a problem. But in all honesty we think it looks better, as before it was all derelict."
Councillor Rhona Holloway, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Visitors at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “The Council is currently considering a planning application (22/01598/S73M) seeking to make variations to the highway works previously approved for this development. The views of residents have been sought alongside those from Nottinghamshire County Council’s Highways department as the experts in highway matters.
"The application will be determined in due course and all feedback will be carefully considered and assessed in the decision-making process.”
Read Next:
Doctor Strange actress Zara Phythian becomes prison cleaner after being jailed for sex crimes
Heartbroken husband pays tribute to NHS worker from Sutton-in-Ashfield with 'heart of gold'
ITV The Voice Notts singer started 'amazing journey' with karaoke at parents' pubs
How Nottinghamshire Police are using new patrols to make the city centre safe at night
Some of Nottinghamshire's most underrated restaurants and cafes
