A council decision to refuse permission for a new drive-thru fast food restaurant on the edge of Colchester has been overturned by the planning inspector.

The decision means KFC can now go-ahead with plans to create the drive-thru branch in Ipswich Road, Ardleigh.

In March 2018, members of Tending District Council’s planning committee turned down the application for the site, ruling that the development was too close to neighbouring homes and a hotel, and would cause a noise nuisance.

However, KFC appealed against the decision and the inspector said that revised plans for the fast-food restaurant meant that unlike a scheme originally submitted in 2014 which had the drive-thru and parking much closer to nearby homes, this application had taken adequate measures to reduce potential noise nuisance by re-locating these aspects.

A noise assessment submitted as part of the hearing, the inspector ruled, was accurate in that any noise would be below the current volume created by traffic along Ipswich Road.

The inspector imposed a condition that the restaurant could only open between 6am and 11pm.

The applicants said in their proposal that the restaurant would create around 45 jobs.

Details of the volume and noise level of the ordering system must also be agreed with Tendring council before the restaurant opens for business.