Welcome Break to buy 10-acre plot near Bridgwater to build new services at M5 J24

Published by

Nicky Godding

New site for Welcome Break at J24, M5

Welcome Break has agreed terms to acquire a 10-acre plot at Notaro Park near Bridgwater to develop a new service station next to Junction 24 of the M5.

Stoford is the lead developer for Notaro Park and is working alongside the landowner, S. Notaro. The scheme has outline planning consent for the development of more than 1.3 million sq ft of accommodation on a design and build basis, with bespoke units available from 30,000 sq ft - 500,000 sq ft to suit occupier demand.

The first phase of development will incorporate the construction of a new consented road network and site infrastructure at Notaro Park this summer, in preparation for works to start on the new Welcome Break service station by the end of the year.

Joe Notaro, Managing Director of S. Notaro, said: “We are looking forward to working with Stoford on this exciting new development.”

Stoford Director, Edward Peel, said: “We are very pleased to see the first phase of Notaro Park coming forward. Welcome Break’s arrival will provide new employment opportunities and on-site amenities, including electric vehicle charging points, which will benefit visitors and occupiers alike.

“Notaro Park has the potential to meet regional and national demand for high quality industrial/warehouse space in an extremely well connected location in the M5 corridor. We’re looking forward to welcoming the new services, and adding the necessary road and infrastructure works required to open up the wider scheme.”

David Myers, Property Director at Welcome Break, said: “I am delighted that we have achieved another major milestone on our journey to increase the size of our operational estate. As a team, we have gone the extra mile to realise the potential of Bridgwater as a strategic location for Welcome Break and we are confident in our ability to develop a world-class facility for motorway customers travelling along the M5.

“Our new services at Bridgwater will also meet growing local demand from an expanding employment and residential catchment, whilst providing long stay parking and facilities for HGV and EV drivers alike. Welcome Break continues to work closely with S. Notaro and Stoford and we now look forward to delivering an exceptional experience for all roadside customers.”

Notaro Park will extend an already established industrial area in Bridgwater, with a mix of local occupiers including Muller, EDF, Alpla Plastic, Compass Tractors and Hopkins Concrete. The site is just a few miles from Gravity Smart Campus, the future site of the UK's biggest electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility, which is projected to create over 4,000 new jobs. Notaro Park is being marketed by agents JLL.

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.