Ashington petrol station to create jobs

The development is planned for land south east of Martins Farm, London Road, Ashington. It will include a restaurant with a drive-through facility, an automatic car wash and ancillary shop.

On behalf of developer G. Northover & Sons Limited - a family owned oil and coal merchants - agent Copesticks Limited has submitted a planning application that states it will ‘support the local economy and residents’.

Neil Northover of Northover Fuels told the County Times that the petrol filling station will offer a Marks and Spencer and create at least 30 jobs for the village.

He said: “The application seeks to vary an existing approval from 2011, to make the proposal viable and deliverable. The principle of creating a service area on the site has been supported by Horsham District Council since 1994 when permission was first granted.

“Over the last couple of years I have attended a number of parish council and residents’ meetings to keep the community of Ashington fully aware of plans for the site and the feedback has always been very positive.

“We are delighted that we have been able to bring together two of the country’s leading retail brands BP and Marks and Spencer to provide the expanding community of Ashington and surrounding villages with a much needed addition to the local retail facilities.

“The development is exactly the type of initiative promoted by the Chancellor George Osborne. It is an investment in the future of the community and the creator of at least 30 jobs,” he added.

The County Times approached Ashington Parish Council for a comment, but did not receive a response before going to print.