Skelton Lake services

Skelton Lake services (also known as Leeds Skelton Lake services) is a motorway service area operated by Extra, on the M1 motorway near Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is located on Junction 45 of the Motorway which also links into the A63 (into Leeds). It lies on the south side of the motorway; however, the junction affords access to, and from, all directions.

Skelton Lake
Skelton Lake services on the M1 at Leeds
Skelton Lake is located in West Yorkshire
Skelton Lake
Skelton Lake
Location in West Yorkshire, England
Skelton Lake is located in UK motorways
Skelton Lake
Skelton Lake
Location on the UK motorway network
Information
CountyWest Yorkshire
RoadM1
Coordinates:53.773°N 1.470°W / 53.773; -1.470
OperatorExtra
Date openedMarch 2020
WebsiteOfficial webpage

History

The M1/A1 link road between Leeds (now Junction 43 of the M1) and the A1(M) at Hook Moor, opened in February 1999.[1] Although the slip roads were built in 1999, it was ten years before Junction 45 was opened to lead along a 2.5-mile (4 km) dual carriageway (designated the A63) westwards into Leeds.[2] Extra submitted an application to build a service station in the area (known as Skelton Grange) in 2005, which was rejected by the government.[3][4]

A second set of amended plans were lodged with Leeds City Council in spring 2016,[5] and permission for the site was granted in early 2017, with an interim bill of £50 million.[6] Morgan Sindall were appointed as builders and by 2018, the bill was estimated at £60 million,[7] with a projected opening date of summer 2019.[8]

Situated at junction 45 of the M1 motorway and the A63 road interchange, the site is 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Leeds and construction started in the summer of 2018.[9] The £64 million service station opened in March 2020 with just the general shop and fuelling station from the outset due to the Covid-19 pandemic.[10] The station was billed as the greenest motorway service station in the United Kingdom, having a "living roof", access to the nature reserve at St Aidan's, and a viewing platform overlooking Skelton Lake.[11] Skelton Lake covers 60 acres (24 ha), and is a remnant of opencast coaling operations in the area.[12][13] The design of the station, particularly its roof, reflects the green corridor that site sits in.[5]

The site, which saw 400 jobs during the construction phase, and now employs 300 people, also has a 100-bedroom hotel.[14][15] As the site is located off Junction 45 of the M1, it is accessible in both directions of the motorway and from the A63.[8]

References
  1. "A1 upgrade prompts noise fears". BBC News. 8 January 2003. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  2. "Leeds link road opens". 10 February 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2020 – via infoweb.newsbank.com.
  3. "Motorway services inquiry criticised". 15 July 2002. Retrieved 9 September 2020 – via infoweb.newsbank.com.
  4. Casey, David (18 December 2015). "Services and 1,800 homes planned for M1 sites". Insider Media Ltd. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  5. Morby, Aaron (11 May 2016). "Plans in for £50m Leeds motorway service station". Construction Enquirer News. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  6. Schouten, Charlie (4 January 2017). "Extra MSA's £50m Skelton Lake M1 motorway services approved". Construction News. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  7. Eccleston, Sally (7 September 2018). "Morgan Sindall appointed to deliver £60 million Leeds Skelton Lake services". Planning, BIM & Construction Today. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  8. "Appointed for the first phase of the £60m Leeds Skelton Lake Services". Henry Boot. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  9. Everett -, Steve (1 April 2020). "Leeds Skelton Lake Services opens at Junction 45 of the M1". Yorkshire Business Daily. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  10. Jones, Craig (31 March 2020). "New £64m Leeds service station opens in middle of coronavirus crisis". Leeds Live. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  11. Newton, Grace (24 July 2020). "See inside new Extra motorway service station at Skelton Lake off M1 near Leeds". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  12. "Old pits transformed into new country park". 18 July 2005. Retrieved 9 September 2020 – via infoweb.newsbank.com.
  13. Ginns, Bernard (22 January 2009). "Developer unveils bid for AGBP500m 'model village'". Retrieved 9 September 2020 – via infoweb.newsbank.com.
  14. Casci, Mark (9 March 2020). "300 jobs created at new Leeds motorway service area". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  15. Gosling, Charlotte (23 July 2020). "First look inside £64m world-class services with its own wildlife centre". Leicestershire Live. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
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