A MAJOR new motorway service station along the M40 has been refused by councillors.

Plans for the services adjacent to J11 of the M40, near Banbury, included a petrol station and motoring services area, HGV parking, offices and a warehouse.

But Cherwell District Council planning committee were not convinced by the idea and refused planning permission noting it would be a ‘disservice’.

Officers said the fact there is no proven need for the service station, proposed by applicants Monte Blackburn, on the application was one of the key reason behind the refusal on Thursday.

Cherwell District Council planning committee chairman David Hughes said: “We acknowledge that there has been significant public opposition to the application.

I simply don’t believe that this proposal is the best the site can offer for local people.

“Given the fact that there is another service station at junction 10, there is no real need for one at junction 11.”

The rejection comes after developers made a raft of changes in response to traffic concerns within the original plans, put forward in early 2017.

Changes included cutting out plans for an 80-bed hotel, neighbouring pub and landscaping improvements.

Upon finding out of the officers recommendation for refusal last month, Tom Jeremiah, group planning director at EG Group who would run the motorway services, said the firm was disappointed considering the initial positive response it had from planners.

Mr Jeremiah added: “It is also incredibly frustrating for those who want to invest in Banbury, as we have already had several productive conversations with prospective occupiers who see this site as an ideal location to expand, invest and create jobs.”

The adopted Local Plan suggests around 1,000 jobs could be created on the site, but the proposals which went before the committee were found to fall short of that mark.

A transport assessment also found that the development would have created severe congestion on the motorway.

The internal layout of the plan was also described as poorly designed.

Mr Hughes said: “We also have doubts about the layout of the site as proposed in this application, and serious concerns about its impact on traffic flowing into Banbury.

“We do want to see new workplaces brought forward at this site to provide the right number of high quality jobs for our residents.”

He added: “We are committed to sustainable, properly managed development on behalf of the people of Cherwell.

“There is a healthy demand for new employment sites, and we have to ensure we are permitting the right development in the right places.”