Plans to revamp and extend Tebay Services have taken a step forward.
Westmorland Family, Group Ltd which runs the award-winning motorway services, wants to redevelop the northbound and southbound facilities.
It requested screening opinions from Westmorland and Furness Council to determine if the plans needed environmental impact assessments. The authority has determined they do not.
The firm also wants to erect a solar farm to support the increasing electrical needs of the service station.
Planning documents said the proposed development will improve operation and experience at the service station.
Proposals at Tebay Southbound services are likely to include providing 95 more car parking spaces with 16 additional HGV spaces.
Plans also include the provision of a drive-through facility at the existing petrol station and extending the existing facilities building by 30sq m.
Planning officers said: “The proposal could impact on the habitat of nesting birds. However, the land does not have any specific designation in terms of environmental sensitivity.
“Detailed consideration of ecology, biodiversity, and visual impacts will be considered through the application following wide-ranging consultation.”
At the northbound services, the proposed development is likely to include demolishing and replacing a section of the existing facilities building, with the total size of the building increasing by 1,000sq m.
Plans add the existing pavilion dining areas which provide views of the duck pond will be kept.
The proposals also include increasing the number of car parking spaces by 30, with three additional HGV spaces.
A report by planning officers says the proposed northbound development will only have marginally greater impacts on the environment than the existing service station.
According to planning documents there could be up to 690 parking spaces in total at the northbound and southbound services, of which 125 are earmarked for future electric vehicle provision.
The council also decided an assessment was not required for the construction of the solar farm.
The proposed 2.4-hectare solar farm will consist of two separate parcels of land, one north of the existing northbound services, with the other south east of the existing northbound services.
The application said the solar farm would provide energy to support the growing demand for electric vehicle charging but would not export energy back to the National Grid.
