CHESHIRE West and Chester Council’s highways team has no objections to plans for KFC and Starbucks drive-thru in Winsford.

An application was submitted to the council last year to transform vacant land off Nat Lane, near Wharton Retail Park.

A decision is yet to be made on the plans, with consultee comments having been submitted in recent weeks.

The council's highways team is one of the latest to provide a report ahead of the plans being discussed and it does not predict any additional traffic from the restaurants to cause issues on roads.

Tony Lungley, from the council’s highways team, explained: “We would not expect queuing traffic from establishments like KFC and Starbucks combined to exceed the site on a regular daily basis, although it must be acknowledged it may do so on some occasions.

“However, on such occasions, the development site entrance is far enough along Nat Lane so as not to cause significant queuing traffic that would impact on the A5018.”

There were no objections from the highways team, subject to five conditions.

These included having approved plans for suitable access, not being used until car and cycle parking spaces have been made available, having an electric vehicle charging point, the Starbucks drive-thru only being used for drinks, plus food prepared off the premises to keep waiting times down, and full details of the phasing of construction traffic being submitted to the local authority in advance.

A planning statement for the project, prepared by Pegasus Group on behalf of applicants Carlton Holdings, says: "The proposed site is located immediately to the east of Wharton Retail Park.

"It will provide for two drive-thru units to be occupied by a KFC and a Starbucks.

"The site comprises of an area of previously developed land formerly used as the base for a car sales/car repossessions business.

"Two of the restaurant units will have drive-thru facilities."

According to the planning statement, 59 car parking spaces would be provided including four disabled parking spaces and six electric charging bays.

The proposal anticipates 60 new jobs will be created at the two restaurants, along with 'significant investment in the local area'.

The planning statement added: "This is a positive benefit of the proposed development and contributes significantly towards the economic and social objectives of sustainable development.

"The reuse of a brownfield site and additional landscape proposals will contribute towards the environmental objective of sustainable development."

A decision has yet to be made on the plans, which can be viewed in more detail by searching reference 21/04216/FUL on the council's online planning portal.