Plans submitted for new coffee drive-thru in Kempston with 20 parking spaces

A planning application for a new coffee drive-thru outlet in Kempston has been submitted to Bedford Borough Council.

The application site is located to the south of The Branston Way and forms part of the Bedford Link Logistics Park, a collection of five warehousing units.

The application said there will be 18 car parking spaces for the coffee outlet – believed to be Starbucks – as well as two disabled spaces.

A further eight dedicated electric vehicle charging bays are also part of the application.

According to the application, a “significant proportion” of the trips to the site will be formed by ‘pass-by’ trips. This is where drivers call in whilst on route to another destination, so “very few” trips to the site would be new trips on the network

The applicants said it is anticipated that there will be a maximum of 53 vehicles trips during the peak of the drive-thru facility, “equating to less than one vehicle per minute on average”.

During traditional morning and evening peak hours vehicle trip generation “would be lower at 44 and 26 vehicle trips respectively”.

The applicants also state that a noise impact assessment has demonstrated that there will be no “adverse impact” from noise or disturbance upon existing operations within the employment park or of the residential development on the opposite side of Branston Way.

The name of the coffee shop operator is not mentioned in the various supporting statements. However, the layout plan for the site refers to Starbucks.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service contacted the planning agents to confirm the name of the operator, but it did not respond at the time of publication.

More information can be found on the council’s planning portal, reference 22/02755/FUL.

The overall consultation expiry date is Thursday, February 2, 2023.

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