Plans to build drive-thrus for Starbucks and Burger King in Widnes could still proceed, pending the outcome of an appeal.
Last September, Halton Council’s development management committee rejected the plans for the drive-thrus at Green Oaks Shopping Park’s car park, despite advice from council officers to approve them. The decision came after a site visit by committee members, with the majority raising concerns about increased traffic leaving the car park. They argued that the potential traffic impact outweighed the benefits of the new development.
However, AIM Land Limited, the company behind the project, has now filed an appeal with the Government’s Planning Inspectorate. This means an independent inspector will review the decision and could potentially overrule the council’s rejection, allowing the drive-thrus to be built. If the appeal is successful, the council may also face financial consequences for the decision.
The proposed development includes two drive-thru units located next to each other in the existing car park. The first unit is planned to be 1,800 square feet, while the second will be slightly larger at 1,843 square feet. One of the units would house a Burger King, and the other would be a Starbucks. This development would require the removal of 125 existing parking spaces but would provide 43 dedicated parking spaces, eight bicycle spaces, four disabled parking spots, and two electric vehicle charging stations.
A letter from Savills, acting as planning agent for AIM Land, noted that the development would create up to 24 full-time jobs, in addition to temporary jobs during construction.
During the September planning meeting, local ward councillor Angela Teeling strongly opposed the proposal, citing concerns about parking, traffic, litter, public health, and the impact on nearby businesses.
Should the appeal be approved, vehicles exiting the drive-thrus would need to merge onto Green Oaks Way, joining traffic from Morrisons, the town centre, and the market. Although the council’s highway officer had no objections to the plan in September, the committee remained concerned about the traffic flow. The majority of councillors voted against the project.
The council was advised that if the appeal was successful, it could be forced to cover the associated costs. An outline planning application for a more generic scheme had already been approved last year, though it lacked specific details or confirmed tenants at that time.
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