Fast-food drive-thrus plan for county town

Fast food outlet and coffee chain set to open in Lutterworth MCDONALD’S AND COSTA SET TO MOVE TO SITE IN LUTTERWORTH

MCDONALD’S and Costa look set to open drive-thrus as part of an £8.2 million development in the county.

Leicestershire County Council plans to develop a 6.1 acre site in Lutterworth, called Leaders Farm.

Members of the Tory-run council’s cabinet were set to meet online to decide on the next steps to be taken.

The site has previously been granted outline planning permission for employment use.

Officers recommend the authority invests £8.2 million in the site, developing two drive-thru units, a 50,000 sq ft light industrial unit and smaller light industrial units, dependent on demand.

Now it has emerged that the authority has recently “agreed heads of terms with two roadside restaurant providers” – named on a site map as McDonald’s and Costa – to occupy the two drive-thru units.

Agents have worked with the council to come up with a plan for the remaining four acres, and suggested that light industrial use would be the most viable in terms of generating income.

Council leader Nick Rushton said: “Leaders Farm is a fantastic site and opportunity for us. This is us planning for the future.

“Corporate investment is a way for us to make money, it’s a great way to generate income and that means less to pay in rates for the people of Leicestershire.”

Speaking about the authority investing in and developing the site, he said: “This is the right thing to do.”

Asked about the timing of the investment, bearing in mind the uncertainty surrounding the economy because of coronavirus, Coun Rushton said: “We are now in a situation where the unknowns are just that, unknown. It is worrying.

“We have unlimited amounts of money going out the front door and limited amounts coming in through the back from government at the moment.

“We need to think ahead about ways to generate income.”

He added: “There’ll be some tough decisions going forward when it comes to capital, you can only spend it once. But this a positive one and we carry on.”

The county council built a £2.6 million estate road into the site in 2019 to facilitate the development by providing access to the plots of land.

A report outlining the plans and potential returns says that the development would have a “maximum capital

£8.2 million”.

It goes on: “This figure includes costs associated with preparing and submitting the planning application, fees, construction of up to 10 light industrial units and contingencies.

“The development is expected to generate a revenue over five years of £1.875 million, plus any capital receipts arising from potential disposals (sales).”

Once cabinet agrees on the next steps, a full planning application will have to be submitted and decided on by Harborough District Council. project is must cost

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