Coffee giant wins fight for drive-thru at service station
ABID for a drive thru coffee shop - believed to be a Starbucks - at a busy site has finally overcome planning obstacles.
Euro Garages Ltd had applied for the development at the Rising Bridge Service Station, on Blackburn Road, Rising Bridge.
Permission has now been granted by Rossendale council’s recent development control committee, subject to a raft of conditions.
These include restrictions on operating hours to between 6am and 11pm, tannoy-noise limits, and requirements relating to tree planting, ecology and also the need for a comprehensive review of site access soon after the development fully opens.
The application does not identify the name of the coffee store, however at a previous committee meeting in July it was openly identified by councillors as Starbucks.
The coffee giant has, however, not confirmed any plans for the site.
The matter had been deferred from the July meeting as members had requested a traffic survey be carried out.
However, the applicant’s agent stated that they had already carried out traffic assessment works as part of the original application process and provided a technical note.
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 south east side of the McDonald’s for access, and development of part of the site running to the rear of both the restaurant and the Shell petrol station.
Three objections were raised by residents, but there were no objections from statutory consultees.
At the previous July meeting Coun Ann Kenyon had said the village was becoming “very industrialised” and claimed excess traffic was going to be “horrendous”.
She had added: “A number of people have moved in there when it wasn’t as congested.
“They moved there for the peace and quiet and the noise is not comfortable for them and they are worried that the extra noise is going to cause them even more worries.”
In determining the application at the latest committee, members discussed and sought clarification on points including: road accident figures, volumes of custom from cars and walk-ins, the impact of Covid-19 and summer holidays on accurate traffic assessments since the last meeting, and the absence of a designated public footpath.
It was approved by five votes to three.