New roadside services planned near Black Cat roundabout
A new roadside services development could be coming to land just north of the Black Cat Roundabout in Chawston, Bedford, under a planning application submitted to Bedford Borough Council.
The proposal includes an electric vehicle (EV) charging hub for both cars and HGVs, a petrol filling station, and two drive-through restaurants.
It would also feature associated parking, landscaping, and improved access from the new local road currently under construction as part of the wider A1 and A421 highway upgrade scheme.
Plans show the site would offer 16 EV charging bays for cars and vans, six for lorries, and facilities for traditional fuel vehicles.
The development also includes external seating areas and comfort facilities aimed at supporting drivers during longer charging stops.
The application states that the EV network has to be “significantly expanded” in convenient locations for motorists on journeys where deviation into heavily built up areas is not practical.
The proposal aims to serve motorists using the upgraded Black Cat junction, which connects key routes between Bedford, Cambridge, and Milton Keynes.
The developers said the Black Cat Junction plays a “key role” in the highway network, accommodating high traffic volumes moving both north-south and east-west.
They added that while the site context is still evolving, it will be “well-connected to the enhanced highway network” once the road improvements are complete.
More information can be found on the council’s planning portal, reference 25/00752/MAF. The overall consultation expiry date is Thursday, May 29, 2025.