Plans stall for a ‘drive-thru Starbucks’ branch
A COFFEE giant’s bid for a drive thru shop at a flagship site near the intersection of two motorways has been stalled by councillors.
The planning application by Euro Garages Ltd for Rising Bridge Service Station was deferred this week at a development control meeting, after members raised concerns about traffic and other issues in the village.
The 0.25 hectareproposal does not name which business is lined up for the busy Blackburn Road site, next to a petrol filling station and drive-thru McDonald’s, but it was openly identified as Starbucks at Rossendale council’s development control meeting this week.
Planning documents said the shop was envisaged to create five full-time and 15 part-time jobs. The application proposed use of the extended car park to the SE side of the Mcdonald’s for access and development of part of the site running to the rear of both the restaurant and Shell petrol station.
Three objections were raised by residents, primarily on the grounds of noise and highways concerns, but there were no objections from statutory consultees. The meeting heard highways authority Lancashire County Council found the principle of the shop, to be open from 6am to 11pm, to be acceptable, but did express concern over the “cumulative effect” of traffic. But, councillors rejected a recommendation the application be granted subject to a condition that the impact of the site on surrounding roads and junctions would be monitored for six months after opening.
Planning agent Alistair Flatman told the meeting they were happy with the conditions proposed on the application.
Coun Ann Kenyon, said: “If they do surveys after Starbucks have built it, what are they going to do [then]? It’s a village, but it’s becoming very industrialised.
“It’s a really busy area and I don’t think when they’ve done the study of the vehicles that they have taken into consideration the village or the school.
“When the school is back in September you’re going to see even more traffic again. The excess traffic is going to be horrendous.”
The Free Press contacted Starbucks after the meeting. Their spokesperson said: “We are always looking for new locations and opportunities to bring the Starbucks Experience to customers in the UK, but at this time we have no updates to share about plans at Rising Bridge.”