Revealed – Drive-through restaurants and coffee shop set for new A14 service station

The site is almost directly opposite the sugar beet site Picture: RACHEL EDGE Archant

A new service station with drive-through restaurants and a coffee shop could soon be built on a former motocross track off the A14 at Sproughton.

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The proposals aim to build the services off the A14 sliproad at Sproughton Picture: RACHEL EDGE The proposals aim to build the services off the A14 sliproad at Sproughton Picture: RACHEL EDGE

Euro Garages Ltd has this week submitted the plans to Babergh District Council to develop the land beside the southbound off-slip at junction 54 – last used as a motocross track.

The proposals are for a petrol station, convenience store, drive-through coffee shop and two drive-through restaurants, as well as usual parking.

But the plans state that the existing roundabout at the end of the off-slip which connects to Sproughton Road will not be used – and instead a priority T junction will be created.

Euro Garages’ transport assessment said: “The new access has been designed with a ghost-island arrangement to ensure the junction doesn’t add delay to vehicles travelling westbound on Sproughton Road towards the A14 J54 northbound slip.”

The proposed new services Picture: GOOGLE MAPS The proposed new services Picture: GOOGLE MAPS

No names have been lined up for any of the units, but the Euro Garages website lists its partners as Starbucks, Subway, KFC, Greggs, Spar, Burger King, BP, Esso and Shell.

If approved, it is expected to create more than 50 new jobs.

Ipswich Borough Council leader David Ellesmere said it was for Suffolk County Council’s highways team to decide whether the junction plans were suitable.

He added: “As an adjoining landowner we be looking into the application in more detail before deciding whether to make representations on the proposed scheme to Babergh District Council.”

The existing roundabout on Sproughton Road will not be used to access the services, with a T junction instead set to be created Picture: RACHEL EDGE The existing roundabout on Sproughton Road will not be used to access the services, with a T junction instead set to be created Picture: RACHEL EDGE

The plans are currently open for public consultation, and will be considered later in the year.

A Suffolk Highways spokeswoman said: “Suffolk County Council is aware of the application and will be responding to the district council in its role as statutory consultee.”

Euro Garages was founded in 2001, and operates 645 sites across the country.

A spokesman from the company has been approached for comment.

The report submitted with the application said: “The proposed development is an employment generating use and will provide economic benefits through the creation of jobs during both the contraction and operational phases,” adding that it will “regenerate and improve the appearance of the site”.