THE Cumbrian motorway services operator Westmorland Ltd has won national recognition for its new service station in Gloucestershire.

The development on the M5 has won a RIBA National Award from the Royal Institute of British Architects.

RIBA National Awards are given to buildings that make a “significant contribution” to architecture.

The judges said of Gloucester Services: “Not since the glorious infancy of the British motorway network, when motorists would travel to the perceived sophistication of motorway services, has a new example of the type itself been worthy of the journey, if even the stop.

“The facilities are carefully planned to isolate the service environment from the motorway and succeed in creating a place that emanates quality as well as clarity.”

The northbound services opened in May 2014 and the southbound services, between junctions 12 and 11A, followed a year later.

Westmorland is a second-generation family business founded 40 years ago by John Dunning.

It now employs 500 people in Cumbria and 300 in Gloucestershire.

Like Tebay, Gloucester has no franchised fast-food outlets. Instead, it majors on local produce in its cafes and farm shops.

Sarah Dunning, chief executive of Westmorland, said: “Our offer, of a uniquely different motorway services, starts with the building.

“It’s functional, welcoming and beautiful, and it is a tremendous honour to have this building recognized as a significant contribution to architecture.”

Westmorland faced an uphill battle to get the Gloucester project off the ground.

Planning permission was granted five years ago but work could not start until it overcame legal objections from rivals Welcome Break and Roadchef.

The buildings, designed by Glenn Howells Architects, are contemporary in style. They aim to blend with the landscape and be energy efficient.

The roof of the main building and the petrol filling station are covered in grass, echoing the design of Rheged visitor and conference centre near Penrith, another Westmorland venture.