Greggs have been given permission to open a new outlet at Northway filling station on the southbound carriageway of the A1 near Baldock.

North Herts Council's planning committee agreed at a meeting yesterday (Thursday, June 4) that the food chain can go ahead with their plans for a new building at the site.

But councillors heard concerns from public objectors that the site is "an accident waiting to happen" with "a dangerous conflict" with adjacent access to a neighbouring home.

Cars will be allowed to drive from the filling station to the Greggs Pod – which is already under construction – but not the other way around.

Cllr Tom Tyson, who represents Arbury ward, warned that the proposed route for vehicles moving from the filling station to the Greggs could be dangerous, with "a contraflow situation" created by vehicles having to turn left around the back of the filling station's shop.

"It is a bit of an ant's nest in there with all the different vehicles coming and going in different directions," he said.

National Highways did not object to the proposals. However, a condition of the planning permission is that a safety audit of vehicle movements within the filling station must be conducted within a year.

Ross Fraser, speaking on behalf of the applicant, said the existing site is "dated" and its facilities "have not kept up with modern expectations". He added that two new electric vehicle chargers would be installed at the site along with the Greggs Pod, helping reduce a "shortfall" of chargers along the A1.

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Nine councillors voted to grant planning permission, in line with a recommendation from planning officers, while one abstained and none voted against.

Cllrs Martin Prescott and Ruth Brown said they were satisfied with the application, given the safety audit condition.

Cllr Brown said: "I think there is potentially a conflict within the site of people going out of the filling station, and around the back to go to Greggs, and then meeting a lorry.

"However, I think it's unlikely there will be a serious accident because people will be travelling at very low speeds.

"It's possible people might have some bumps…hopefully there won't be any pedestrians walking around there."

But Cllr Winchester said "pedestrians are exactly the problem", with people leaving their cars to enter the filling station or the Greggs. "I have never used this site, I would never use it, it looks dangerous to me as it is," she said.

The planning permission is for two years, though this could be extended or made permanent at a later date.