Plans for a new luxury service station on the M56 near Manchester are set to be approved at a planning meeting next week.
It’s no exaggeration to say Tatton Services would be so much more than your average service station.
Coming from the Westmoreland Family and the Tatton Estate, the former of which is the company behind the stunning Tebay Services, and its equally-as-stunning sister sites down near Gloucester and up near Lanark in Scotland, Tatton Services would pop up on a stretch of the M56 just miles from Manchester, making it the ideal stop-off for us lot when we’re heading on long journeys.
If you’re not familiar with Tebay, it’s also known as the little slice of motorway services heaven just off the M6 in Cumbria, and it just so happens to have been named the best service station in the country in a new survey.
Tebay has gained somewhat of a cult following, and is known and loved for its lakeside setting and rural surroundings, stunning spacious interior with vaulted ceilings, the wealth of cafes and restaurants serving up dishes home-cooked on site, and its farm shop selling all sorts of local produce.
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Plans for a new luxury service station on M56 near Manchester set to be approved / Credit: Tatton Services
So if Tatton Services even comes remotely close to resembling this – and it certainly sounds like it would do – then we’re in for a real treat.
The proposed Tatton Services could be built near junctions seven and eight of the M56, which is not far from Altrincham and Manchester Airport.
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Plans have been submitted to Cheshire East Council by the Westmoreland Family and Tatton Estate as part of the 80/20 partnership, and if approved, the site would feature a farm shop, a kitchen, a 100-bed hotel, a petrol station and several electric vehicle charging points, and so much more, as well as creating 558 jobs during its expected two-year construction, and eventually employing 223 staff.
The plans have been recommended for approval by Cheshire East Council before it goes to its planning committee next week, despite their being 150 letters of objection submitted.
Tatton Services is the latest venture from Tebay owners, the Westmoreland Family / Credit: Tatton Services
The letters of objection – which crucially included one from Trafford Council – were submitted on the basis that the service station would be built on green belt land, and would therefore be inappropriate for the area.
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But about 30 letters of support were received from local residents, business organisations, and other companies to outweigh this.
When recommending the scheme for approval, planning officers at Cheshire East Council said, although it would be an inappropriate development in the green belt, the harm was “clearly outweighed by the need for the proposal”.
They cited highways safety benefits, economic benefits, and opportunities for employment and local businesses as positives.
Planning officers did, however, note that due to the scale and nature of the Tatton Services proposal, the plans would need to be referred to the Secretary of State.
The plans will be discussed by Cheshire East Council’s strategic planning board on 25 October.
Featured Image – Tatton Services
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NHS says it’s the busiest it has ever been heading into winter as ‘damaging’ strikes begin
Emily Sergeant
The NHS has claimed it’s currently the ‘busiest it has ever been’ as we head into the winter.
While it has been revealed that the health service’s waiting list is 230,000 lower than this time last summer, and down 15,845 compared to the previous month, figures released this week show that the NHS is ‘approaching its limit’ as we head into winter – with A&E, ambulances, and more all facing record demand.
As the colder months edge closer, and a likely spike in flu cases is expected in the coming weeks, the NHS says it’s the ‘busiest it has ever been’.
It also comes during what officials are describing as ‘damaging’ industrial action.
From Friday and into next week, some NHS services will be affected due to strike action. Please continue to come forward for NHS care.
If you need urgent medical help, use 111, and if it is a serious or life-threatening emergency, please call 999. pic.twitter.com/ym87CQ3CRR
Last month, both A&E attendances and ambulance incidents were at a record high for October, with A&E attendances at 37,000 higher than October 2024, equating to over 1,200 more attendances per day this October.
Ambulance incidents also jumped nearly 50,000 compared with October last year (806,441), the NHS has confirmed.
“It is fantastic news that the health service managed to get the waiting list down in September, but there’s no doubt NHS staff will be approaching their limits this winter,” commented Professor Meghana Pandit, who is the NHS National Medical Director.
The NHS says it’s the busiest it has ever been heading into winter amid ‘damaging’ strikes / Credit: Stephen Andrews (via Unsplash)
“Flu is peaking early and looking like it will be long lasting, while industrial action comes on the back of the busiest October in A&E in NHS history.
“Staff continue to work incredibly hard and, as ever, the public can play their part.”
Despite the health service being stretched during this time, the public are still advised to attend any planned appointments that are scheduled during the ongoing strikes, unless they have been contacted to reschedule.
Primary and urgent and emergency care services will continue to be available for those who need them.
The public should use 111 online as the first port of call for urgent but not life-threatening issues during industrial action so that they can be directed to the best place for their needs, but patients who do need emergency medical care should continue to use 999 or come forward to A&E as normal.
Featured Image – Pxhere
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Government sets date for ‘historic’ no-fault evictions ban next year
Emily Sergeant
The Government has officially set the date for the ban of no-fault evictions next year.
Renting in England is expected to be ‘transformed’ with a raft of major changes coming into effect as part of the new Renters’ Rights Bill from 1 May 2026 for 11 million people across the country – and this, crucially, includes the end of Section 21 evictions at no-fault of the tenant.
As it stands, Section 21 notices leaving thousands of people vulnerable to homelessness every year, but in just under six months’ time, private renters will no longer face this threat.
To the vast majority of renters and landlords who play by the rules, this government has got your back.
Further measures announced as part of the new Renters’ Rights Bill – which has now been passed in law – include a ban on rental bidding wars, making landlords and letting agents legally required to publish an asking rent for their property and prevented from asking for, encouraging, or accepting any bids above this price, and also a ban on in-tenancy rent increases written in to contracts.
The latter will prevent landlords from implementing higher rents mid-tenancy, and only allow them to raise the rent once a year to the market rate.
Landlords will also no longer be able to unreasonably refuse tenants’ requests to have a pet, nor will they be able to discriminate against potential tenants, because they receive benefits or have children.
‘No-fault’ evictions are now banned in England under historic new legislation / Credit: Maria Ziegler (via Unsplash)
On the flip side, however, the new Bill means landlords will have stronger legally valid reasons to get their properties back when needed – whether that’s be to move in themselves, sell the property, or deal with rent arrears or anti-social behaviour.
The Government says this will work to deliver a fairer system for both sides.
“We’re calling time on no fault evictions and rogue landlords,” commented Housing Secretary, Steve Reed. “Everyone should have peace of mind and the security of a roof over their head, and the law we’ve just passed delivers that.
“We’re now on a countdown of just months to that law coming in, so good landlords can get ready and bad landlords should clean up their act.”
Alongside the Renters’ Rights Act, an ‘improved’ Housing Health and Safety Rating System, which will better assess health and safety risks in homes and making it more efficient and easier to understand, will also be introduced.
And there are also planned new standards to ensure privately rented properties are warmer and cheaper to run.
Emily Sergeant -
19th October 2023 
