Plans to set up new drive-thru are thrown out
PLANS to create a Costa Coffee drive-thru in Walsgrave close to the Asda store have been thrown out.
The plan to create the facility on land at Brade Drive was refused because it was classed as green space and contrary to the Coventry local plan, which sets out where new development should take place.
Officers felt the loss of the green space would impact on local residents and dog walkers.
The plan had been submitted to create a detached single storey building to accommodate a drive-thru coffee facility and a car park.
It related to around three-quarters of an acre of urban green space formed by grassland and clusters of mature and semi-mature trees located on the southeast side of Hinckley Road.
The land sits next to the Asda filling station and not far from the Walsgrave Asda store.
It is used by local dog walkers and also actes as a green buffer between the Asda store and local residents.
The application sought to create a drive-thru Costa Coffee and a 37-space car park.
It would have opened from 5am until 11pm seven days a week and employed 18 people working both full and part-time.
The plan was refused under delegated powers by planning officers at Coventry City Council.
Officers concluded that part of the Asda car park would be more suited to the location of a drive-thru, particularly as it is rarely at capacity.
The area of land sits next to the Brade Drive district centre, in which development is permitted, but does not form part of it.
In a report to the planning committee council officers said: “The proposed development must be determined in accordance with the development plan (the 2016 local plan) unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
“The site sits in an edge of centre location adjacent to the Brade Drive district centre.”
The report added: “It is recognised that the centre is fairly constrained however there is an extensive area of car parking associated with the centre, much of which is underused on a regular basis (based on officer site visits and local knowledge).
“The planning statement submitted as part of this application doesn’t provide any information on the usage of the car park or any parking surveys to demonstrate there isn’t capacity to accommodate a development on the existing Asda car park and in-centre.
“Given the extensive underutilised car parking area, which is within the defined centre boundary, it is not considered that the application site is suitable in principle for the proposed drive-thru unit.”
The report added: “The open space provides a significant visual amenity value, officers have witnessed the site being used for recreational use by dog walkers etc and the site also provides a green buffer between the existing commercial development and the adjacent residential properties.
“Given the alternative sequentially preferable sites available, it is the opinion of the local planning authority that the loss of the green space cannot be reasonably justified.
“The loss of this green space will undoubtedly result in a significant negative impact on the amenity of the occupiers of those adjacent properties.”