Council Raises Concerns Over Drive-Thru Plan

There are worries the opening on two drive-thrus on the outskirts of Market Harborough could impact trade in the town centre.

Harborough District Council planning bosses have raised concerns about the plan for Airfield Business Park.

Costa Coffee would open in one of the drive thru units off the B6047 Harborough Road if the plan is approved, while an occupier for the other is still to be found.

How the development would look

The council also fears the development could be detrimental to a ‘local centre’ to be built on the near-by Airfield Farm development, which will include retail premises and have requested evidence a site cannot be found nearer to the centre of town.

In a letter responding to consultation about the plan, the council’s Head of Planning David Atkinson says: “In the current submitted information it cannot be adequately established if a sequential test has been undertaken or what the outcomes of that test are.

“If this test has not been done and/or the results are not conclusive that no harm to acknowledged interested in Market Harborough Town Centre would be caused, then the local planning authority would have concerns about this proposal.”

Leicestershire County Council is behind the plan, which is part of a wider expansion of the business park and says a ‘ sequential test’ has been undertaken and will be published soon, following the concerns being expressed.

If the plan does go-ahead, the district council want opening hours of the units restricted to between 6am and 10pm, to protect near-by residents from potential late-night noise disturbance.

The planning application is expected to be considered later this year.