Plans have been submitted for the provision of a drive-thru hot beverage outlet situated within the Asda store car park at East Way, in Fulwood.
The application proposes redevelopment of part of the Asda car park. To provide a one single storey building for the sale of hot drinks to be occupied by Starbucks, with a ‘drive-thru’ lane, together with car and cycle parking, and a refuse storage area.
The primary intention of the development is to serve customers either passing by, or visiting the Asda store, or nearby businesses.
The applicant, EG Group Limited, the owner of Asda Stores Ltd, has secured planning permission for many similar Starbucks coffee shops in Asda car parks around the country.
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The proposed drive-thru building will be situated at the south-western corner of the car park which holds 664 parking spaces.
The ‘small-scale’ building will include a kitchen, takeaway window and an area of seating. There is also an external yard which is wrapped around by the building elevation which will accommodate the bin storage area and plant.
The Starbucks unit will be accessed by vehicles using the existing site entrance from Pittman Way via the internal car park circulation route which is separate to parking aisles.
The drive-thru lane will be segregated from this route to ensure it does not hold up circulation within the car park.
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A total of six cycle parking spaces for use by customers and staff are already provided, in the form of three Sheffield cycle stands located in front of the coffee shop.
An additional two parking bays designed to mobility impaired standard will be provided adjacent to the new unit.
The proposed layout will also incorporate enhanced access for pedestrians, utilising existing access points to the Asda site and introduce new and enhanced pedestrian route to provide direct, segregated, pedestrian access to the drive-thru.
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The planning statement prepared by agents RPS Group Limited said: “The unit is intended to provide a complementary facility to the store, to improve the range of facilities available in the area and help optimise the use of this brownfield location.
“The proposal will result in significant economic benefits in the form of up to 20 new jobs (13 FTE positions) suitable for a range of skill sets and working hours.
“The site lies in an accessible location and can be accessed through a range of means of transport.”
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