Motorway services could wipe out millions of Sheffield investment, it is claimed

Rotherham Council’s planning board approved permission for the new service station after hearing the £40m scheme would involve making improvements to the M1, the roundabout at Junction 33 and the Parkway to allow traffic in and out of the services – with fewer delays for all road users in the area than if the “saturated” junction was left unchanged.But Sheffield University has been heavily involved in the development of the AMP and its own Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and its director of estates, Peter Lilley, told the meeting that agreeing to the service station could cause a massive loss of future investment in the area.Estimates suggested the service station would bring £4.75m a year to the local economy, but the expansion of advanced manufacturing was expected to create business worth between £178m and £218m, he said, creating more than 4,000 high quality jobs.“We have been able to develop a training college for 600 engineering apprentices. It is successful and something we wish to grow,” he said.To generate its projected income, the service station would have to generate traffic levels “most likely limiting other development in the area.“All jobs are good, but the advanced manufacturing district is delivering high quality jobs and employment.“Junction 33 as we know is at capacity. It will put additional traffic into the area which will stymie development in the area.“Rotherham Council has been a fantastic supporter of Sheffield Univeristy and Sheffield University is proud to be part of the development. We wish that to continue and object strongly to this,” he said.Harworth Estates was also represented at the meeting, with Claire Kent telling councillors the company had invested millions of pounds into developing the Waverley site for modern industry.“Harworth are extremely surprised by the application and that it is recommended for approval,” she said.“A major concern is the impact on the Parkway. Congestion and delays are a major detractor. Do we want to jeopardise access into the area? The economic impact on jobs and investment will outweigh the benefits of the smaller number of jobs to be created (by the service station),” she said.Sheffield Council also expressed its concerns about the implications of developing a motorway service area at that point, though its own planners have been involved in negotiations to create a similar scheme at Smithywood, near Junction 35, since 2014.The authority wrote to Rotherham Council only a day before yesterday’s meeting to clarify its concerns about the impact on the Parkway, so late details of the letter had to be read to councillors rather than being in the formal reports pack on the application.Councillors who approved the scheme were told by planning officer Nigel Hancock that extensive research had taken place and both the council and Highways England were satisfied the development would not lead to increased pollution, as vehicles stopping there would already be on the road, rather than treating it as a ‘destination’.