| Cobham Services | |
|---|---|
| County | Surrey |
| Road | M25 |
| Coordinates | |
| Operator | Extra MSA |
| Date opened | 2012 |
| Website | Extra MSA: Cobham |
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Cobham services (Surrey)
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Cobham Services is a motorway service area under construction on the M25 motorway. It is planned to open in early 2012, and is to be operated by Extra MSA. Cobham's planned opening date was scheduled to be early 2010, but was changed to early 2012 following various planning issues. The services were constructed as there was concern with the large 104 km (65 mile) gap without any service areas. At either end of the 65 mile stretch of motorway was South Mimms services and Clacket Lane services, The Secretary of State explained there was a clear and compelling need for a further service area.[1] Cobham will soon be the UK's largest service station, after Beaconsfield services which will soon become second largest.
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As of a number of modern service stations, many have an ecological aspect such as an sustainable drainage system, rain-harnessing or a renewable energy source. Cobham has been designed to include a sustainable drainage system that filters the water from silt and sand, cleans the water, and then naturally attenuates the water into local watercourses. Retention basins, swales and infiltration trenches deal with excess water, storm water and most importantly flood risk. The infiltration trenches drain water using pebbles and small stones which naturally filter and store water, the remaining stored water is eventually channeled out of the site and in to some of the retention basins. The retention basins collect water runoff, and the water outflow out of the basins is carefully controlled, the lakes have water piped to and from other infiltration trenches. Even though these basins are designed to collect water and drain water in a more controlled way, some water escapes and seeps (infiltrates) into the ground. Depending on the season the water level in all of these trenches and basins change dramatically. The infiltration trenches then flow into local watercourses. The swales (marsh areas) are less complex and drain water directly into the ground, they are surrounded by vegetation. Just like infiltration trenches, swales also attenuate, filter and clean water. Vegetation which is around the service area and its drainage system, helps to absorb harmful substances to the environment and clean water in the infiltration trenches, swales, retention basins and around the site. The service area is also going to include slip roads, the slip roads access the services via a tunnel which travels underneath the M25.[2]
Work on the site started in Autumn 2010 and construction eventually started in mid-2011 on the slip roads and tunnel for the service area. The speed limit was reduced to 50 mph, and a temporary carriageway was set up, diverting traffic past the construction site and back onto the motorway. The 50 mph speed limit took place on a short section of the westbound carriageway, were construction traffic was accessing the site.[3] Extra MSA founded their own construction company called Swayfields' immediately when Extra MSA was created in 2000, so they could construct service areas themselves. Cobham was constructed by Swayfields from 2011–2012, and all of Extra MSA's.
Cobham has been planned for over 10 years by many different different operators, and now has been given permission to be constructed. The service area was built on the site of a farm named 'New Barn Farm', as the farm and surrounding land was since sold.
The main concern about the service's construction, was that the area that was planned to be built on was part of the green belt area for Cobham. There have been other concerns that the waste of thousands of visiting tourists could damage Downside's Victorian sewage system.[4]
As of yet, the planned facilities are set to be:
| Previous: South Mimms services |
Motorway service stations on the M25 motorway |
Next: Clacket Lane services |
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