Plans to build drive-thru Costa and McDonald’s stores in Newmarket - which will create 75 new jobs - have been given the go ahead, more than 18 months after first being lodged.
The proposals, submitted by CI Industries Ltd, plan to develop vacant employment land off Willie Snaith Road near the Tesco and Wickes stores.
Officers had recommended it for approval and, despite objections from the town council, West Suffolk Council’s development control committee approved the plan by 11 votes to four.
Councillor Andy Neal said the 75 jobs expected to be created “has to be a positive” and added: “A drive-thru in the heart of Newmarket would create more of a problem than this location right on the outskirts of the town.”
A spokesman on behalf of the developers was not present for the decision, but in its application said the development was “in keeping with the surrounding retail and commercial development and sits comfortably within the proposed location”.
It added: “The proposal is a well-designed scheme that uses appropriate materials to help improve the character of the site area and is a significant improvement on the current undeveloped nature of the site.”
Suffolk Highways had initially objected to the proposals, submitted back in November 2018, because of concerns about the traffic modelling evidence used and number of car park spaces. However, it removed those objections following work with the developers.
Rachel Hood, chairman of Newmarket Town Council, said the plans went against the town’s neighbourhood plan, which stated that any new development on the gateway areas of the town should be “of high quality and sympathetic to the locality”.
She added: “Newmarket has a lack of open space, and there is only one very brief mention of the playing field [in the application], so we find it very disappointing that West Suffolk is supposing to site a McDonald’s and Costa effectively on our children’s playing fields.”
Fears were also raised about traffic levels in the business park already, as well as potential littering.
An initial proposal minded to refuse the plans failed to gain enough votes, losing out by five votes to 10.
A spokesman on behalf of the developers has been approached for comment.
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