Proposals have been put forward for a brand new Costa Coffee in the Morrisons supermarket car park in Beccles.
The proposed development includes a single storey facility with both indoor and outdoor seating with a wrap around drive-thru lane which would also provide access for cars to be served from a serving hatch to the rear of the building.
It would be the second Costa Coffee in the town, with a premises already inside the nearby Tesco supermarket on George Westwood Way.
The premises would lie in the north west section of the car park, attracting traffic from both the A145/George Westwood Way and A146 roads with entry to the premises to the south of the site.
This means vehicle access to the Costa site is taken from the existing Morrisons entrance and appropriate white lining will be provided to enable pedestrians to access the site.
Decision making for the proposals lies with the Broads Authority because the proposed site sits on the Broads National Park.
No concerns have been raised about the site's immediate surroundings which include wetland and marshland and there are no listed buildings at the site at present.
The Morrisons car park currently has 364 spaces and the proposal would result in a loss of 34 car parking spaces.
Other proposed sites for the development that were under consideration were the former occupied Laura Ashley store on Newgate.
But it was found the development had a limited number of parking spaces adjacent to the site frontage and the unit could not be converted into a drive-thru coffee shop.
Another location considered was a Grade II listed building on Smallgate, Beccles, currently marketed for sale by William H Brown for sale by auction.
But the property was found to be too small and in a format not conductive with food and drink use.
Other places across Beccles and Bungay considered were the former Beales department store, a private car park in Smallgate, a private care park in Newgate, the Newgate short stay car park, Blyburgate car park, 9 Market Place and 42 Earsham Street in Bungay, Bungay Lane pay and display car park and Priory Lane car park.
Proposals will be discussed at a planning committee meeting at Beccles Town Council on Tuesday, August 31 at 5.30pm.
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