A second proposal to build a motorway service station on the edge of Basingstoke could soon be in the pipeline.

Developers Moto Hospitality have submitted a screening opinion request to the borough council on plans to build a services the size of 22 football pitches at the M3 Junction 6.

A 100-room hotel, amenity building, ‘drive thru’ coffee shop, fuelling facilities, and parking space for 620 cars and 50 heavy goods vehicles are proposed for the northbound carriageway.

This comes at a time when a full planning application is also being drawn up by a different company for a separate southbound service station just five miles away, near Junction 7, between Dummer and Farleigh Wallop.

Moto Hospitality have questioned whether an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is needed for the site, between Black Dam roundabout and Dickens Lane – insisting the proposal would have “limited environmental effects”.

But with M3 services already existing in Fleet and Winchester, borough councillor for Basing, Onnalee Cubitt, admitted that plans for two additional stops near Basingstoke were “bizarre”.

She said: “Even when the Junction 7 one came in, I didn’t understand, because we don’t need one.

“We plainly have no need for these service stations in Basingstoke, it’s bizarre.

“The distance between Fleet and Winchester is nothing.

“I’m open to their cases being put forward, but I really don’t know how residents will react.”

It is unclear at this stage whether the Moto Hospitality proposal, and the application by Applegreen Plc to build near Junction 7 are linked.

And deputy leader of the council, Terri Reid, who has previously spoken out against the idea of a motorway services to the south of Basingstoke, expressed her surprise at a second proposal coming through.

She said: “It’s bemusing, I don’t know who would need it.

“The first thing I thought was it must be the same company.

“I would’ve been against it, but at least there would’ve been some sense to it then.

“I don’t see how it will benefit.

“I know they’ll say it’ll generate jobs, but at what cost?”