Progress shown at new ‘Tebay-style’ Tatton Services on M56

For those of you who travel along the M56, there’s good news.

Progress on the long-awaited Tatton Services has been revealed in a new aerial photograph.

The image, taken from an aeroplane by 360 Photo Surveys, shows work continuing on the site between junctions seven and eight of the M56 near Knutsford.

It provides the latest glimpse of the scheme, which has been years in the making, generating much debate as it is being built on 39 acres of greenbelt land.

The new facility, backed by Tatton Estate and Westmorland Family, which owns and runs the celebrated Tebay Services on the M6 in Cumbria, will feature a farm shop, restaurant, a 100-bed hotel, a petrol station, and spaces to charge 96 electric vehicles.

The developers say the project will create around 325 jobs while helping to address a recognised gap in motorway service provision around Cheshire and Greater Manchester.

The project was promoted as a different model from traditional motorway services, drawing on Westmorland Family’s experience operating Tebay, Gloucester Services on the M5, and Cairn Lodge Services on the M74.

Artist’s impression of the new Tatton Services on the M56 (Image: Westmorland Family)

The company said the new site would ‘champion local food producers, businesses, and tourism’ while providing facilities for motorists travelling on the network.  

Cheshire East Council approved the scheme in October 2023, marking a major milestone for the development.

However, the decision did not end the planning process.

Following opposition from campaigners concerned about the impact on greenbelt land, the application was called in by the Government in 2024 for further scrutiny through a public inquiry.

The inquiry examined a range of issues, including the need for a new motorway service area, the potential economic impact on nearby towns and villages, and the effect of the development on the greenbelt.

Tatton Services are expected to be open by early 2027 (Image: Westmorland Family)

Supporters argued the site would improve road safety and driver welfare by filling a significant gap in motorway services, while opponents questioned whether the development was necessary and raised concerns about congestion and environmental impacts.

A final decision arrived in March 2025 when the Secretary of State granted planning permission when the government ultimately accepted the planning inspector’s conclusion that the need for a motorway service area on the M56 near Knutsford was ‘indisputable’.

The decision also recognised the scheme’s claimed economic and road safety benefits.

Since receiving approval, developers have continued refining the design and securing further permissions.

According to updates published by Tatton Services, detailed design work has progressed and planning condition changes have been approved to support the next stages of development.

The project team has indicated a target opening in late 2027 or early 2028.

The latest aerial photograph offers the clearest indication yet that the project is moving from the planning stage towards reality, with motorists on the M56 now able to see visible signs of progress on one of the county’s most closely watched developments.