Welcome Break gets green light to expand M54 services
Shropshire will get its first ever Taco Bell after plans to build a drive-thru restaurant at Telford’s M54 services were approved by planning officers.
In proposals first revealed in May this year, operators Welcome Break said facilities at Telford, which was ranked the worst service station in the country in a Green Flag survey in 2021, were below par compared to other service stations.
Following approval by planning officers in Shropshire, the 2,500 sq ft unit will be built on coach parking bays near the existing services building, with a re-worked car park also set to increase the number of bus parking bays to seven.
The facility, which is the only service station on the M54, is currently home to branches of Waitrose, Burger King, and a Starbucks Coffee outlet.
“This proposed drive-thru restaurant is intended to address an identified shortfall in F&B provision at the site, which currently lacks any drive-thru facilities, and therefore does not offer a convenient, quick service option for motorists,” said a planning statement submitted with the scheme.
The plot had previously been granted planning permission for a Starbucks drive-thru in 2018.
Telford Services, situated in the Midlands Green Belt at Junction 4 of the M54 near Stafford Park, was built at a cost of £12m and first opened in 2003. Henry Boot Developments sold the site to Rockspring Property Investment Managers for £13.2m in 2006.
Montagu Evans are planners for the application, with designs provided by ADS Design.
The project team includes Dynamic Transport Planning, Goodson Associates, Collington Winter, and DEP.
Plans and documents relating to the application can be found on Shropshire Council’s planning portal using reference: 26/01842/FUL
