Starbucks and Greggs show interest as Lancaster drive-through coffee shop gets green light

A Starbucks drive-through and a new Greggs could be coming to a business park near the motorway in Lancaster.

Planning permission has been granted for a new coffee shop with drive-through as part of an expansion at Lancaster Business Park.

Two new buildings will be built, one of them for the new coffee shop. The other will be split into two smaller units, available for food and drink retail.

Coffee giants Starbucks and high street bakery chain Greggs have shown interest in moving in, it was revealed at a Lancaster City Council planning regulatory committee meeting, where the decision to grant permission was made.

Leanne Elkin, director of Derwent Development Management Ltd who run the Caton Road business park near the M6 Junction 34, said they were "absolutely delighted" at the decision.

Lancaster Business Park at Cottams Field (pictured below) includes several businesses, including offices, 3-1-5 Health Club, a Brewers' Fayre pub-restaurant and Premier Inn hotel.

The new coffee shop drive-through and nearby food/retail units, as well as 58 car parking spaces including four accessible spaces and six electric vehicle charging units, will be built on vacant land at the entrance to the business park, neighbouring the Brewers Fayre restaurant/pub.

There was some opposition to the scheme at Monday's meeting held at Morecambe Town Hall.

Councillor Sue Tyldesley, of the Greens, said there was already a "McDonald's across the road, a Brewers Fayre next to it, there isn't exactly a shortage of places to eat and drink there".

Her colleague Councillor Tim Hamilton-Cox said he was "vehemently going to oppose this application" saying he felt it would "have an impact on the viability of the city centre" and "the enhancement of the business park is speculative".

But Councillor Martin Bottoms, of the Morecambe Bay Independents, said he didn't feel the scheme would "take away from what's in the city centre" and said it was "essential to serve the staff on the business park".

"Starbucks and Greggs have expressed an interest in taking on the units," he said.

Councillor Martin Gawith, of Labour, said: "So we're saying we don't want you to buy your sandwich and coffee (at the business park) because that will affect the city centre, so we want you to drive three miles into the city centre? This isn't a threat to the city centre whatsoever."

Councillor Keith Budden, of the Conservatives, said: "I think it will improve the site considerably."

Eleven of the councillors on the planning committee -  Sandra Thornberry, Sally Maddocks, Paul Hart, Keith Budden, Martin Bottoms, John Hanson, Robert Redfern, Louise Belcher, Alan Greenwell, Martin Gawith and Jack Lenox voted in favour of the scheme. Councillors Tim Hamilton-Cox and Sue Tyldesley voted against the scheme, and Dave Brookes abstained.

At the same meeting, the committee gave the green light for the construction of six other new buildings at the business park, made up of 10 units for general industrial or storage and distributions.

The 10 units will be split between land in the northeast corner of the business park on undeveloped land next to Caton Road, undeveloped land south of Mannin Way, and a third plot of land close to Lansil Golf Course.

But there were concerns raised at the meeting that the scheme was a "departure" from the council's own Local Plan, which designates sites across the Lancaster and Morecambe District for development.

There were also questions about a loss of biodioversity on the site.

"Inevitably the proposed development will involve the loss of most of the existing habitats across the site, including areas of successional woodland and scrub habitat and grasslands," said a council report.

Councillor Brookes, from the Greens, said: "We seem to be accepting net biodiversity loss on this site."

A council report said: "In the absence of opportunities on site, elsewhere within Lancaster District, the applicant had been in the process of partnering with the Ribble Rivers Trust and a landowner in the Ribble Valley to deliver a habitat creation scheme which could have provided 14.5 habitat units. This would have more than compensated for the identified habitat loss.

"However, with challenges around the legal framework to secure the off-site scheme coupled with viability concerns, due to the landowner’s desire for enhanced profits, the applicant has regretfully had to withdraw the offer. Given the time taken already to try and secure net gains in biodiversity, the applicant understandably wishes the proposal to be determined as it stands, which would result in net losses in biodiversity."

Council officers had recommended the 10-unit plan be given permission.

Mark Jackson, council planning officer, said the business park was a "regeneration priority area" for the council.

A council report said: "Once operational, and considering additionality factors, the total net employment effect is likely to be between 143 to 359 full time equivalent jobs.

"Accordingly, it is estimated that the development could generate between £6.6m to £19.9m in  GVA (NOTE - Gross Value Added is the measure of the value of goods and services produced in an area) with business rates (per annum) between £148,000 to £210,000.

"Currently 36 per cent of the office accommodation on the business park is vacant demonstrating insufficient demand in the area for future office development.

"Lack of amenities on the business park makes it less attractive for some businesses."

Councillor Budden said: "It's going to create quite a number of construction jobs. I would support the recommendation."

Councillor Gawith, said: "We desperately need new jobs in Lancaster. We would look extremely silly if we were to turn around and say no, you can't have this."

Twelve of the 14 councillors on the committee - Sandra Thornberry, Sally Maddocks, Paul Hart, Keith Budden, Martin Bottoms, John Hanson, Robert Redfern, Louise Belcher, Alan Greenwell, Martin Gawith, Jack Lenox and Tim Hamilton-Cox voted in favour of the scheme. Councillors Dave Brookes and Sue Tyldesley abstained.