A meeting on plans to build a new service station on Green Belt land was closed to the press – despite being held in a public building.

Extra Motorway Services held the "engagement workshop" at Chalfont St Peter Community Centre at 9.45am this morning to discuss a public consultation for a site between junction 16 and 17 of the M25.

But upon arrival, the Watford Observer was denied entry and told the meeting was by “invitation only”.

A public relations officer for Extra said invitations had been sent out to “politicians” and “certain members of the community” only.

The motorway services’ chief executive officer Andrew Long was previously said to be leading the public meeting to discuss why the site was selected and “constraints and opportunities”.

The workshop was said to be focusing on how to raise awareness of the consultation in the wider community.

It is not yet known what Extra intend to build at the site near junction 17.

This latest proposal follows hard upon rekindled plans by rival company Moto to build a similar site at junction 20, Kings Langley.

Moto’s initial proposal includes a 100-bed hotel, a 1,000-space car park and shops and other facilities. A planning application is likely by the end of the year.

County councillor for Chalfont St Peter, David Martin, said: “This is a speculative and opportunistic proposal to build an unnecessary motorway service station at a location designed to be used for access to the HS2 tunnel portal worksite.

"The two haul roads from the M25 motorway to the worksite are meant to be temporary, and following HS2 construction should be removed and the land restored to agricultural use within the green belt.

"The last thing residents need is even more heavy construction traffic and a totally unrequired additional service station at this location.”

The Watford Observer has since learned Extra are open to this newspaper attending future meetings.