Star News
Starbucks drive thru at Windle Island gets the green light
8:12pm Tuesday 21st February 2012
HOTLY debated plans for a Starbucks drive thru coffee shop near to one of the borough’s busiest junctions have been given the go ahead by St Helens Council’s planning committee tonight.
Councillors voted by a majority to 10 to two that the venue should be approved for construction next to a service station on the Windle Island junction of the East Lancashire Road.
Proposals for the 24 hour, 7 day a week coffee shop have stirred complaints among sections of the Windle community.
Seventy three letters opposing the venue were submitted to the local authority, expressing concerns over potential for increased traffic, noise, litter, smells and anti social behaviour.
But Stuart Barnes, development control manager at the council, told the planning committee that after officers had examined all issues – including traffic flow – the recommendation was for the planning application to be passed.
The Friends of St Helens Cemetery also objected because the venue will border an area of the graveyard where children are buried.
However, planning consultants working on behalf of Euro Garages, have vowed to attach a trellis featuring climbing plants to the boundary fence – in an effort to ensure there is privacy for cemetery visitors.
Despite the protests there were those in favour of the development, which will create 10 full time and 10 part time jobs.
Ten letters of support were sent to the council in which residents said the coffee shop would offer a boost at a time of rising unemployment and bring short term construction jobs.
The planning application stated that many of the staff recruited to work there would be under the age of 24.
Speaking at the planning hearing, Pat Marsden, of Hartington Road, offered support for the Starbucks, saying she believed a lot of the complaints were of the “Not in my backyard approach”.
She said: “Wouldn’t it be great if years from now St Helens people who went on to great things said: ‘My first job was at Starbucks at Windle Island – it got me on the jobs ladder’.”
However, Jim Nicholson expressed concerns about the impact noise from a 24 hour ‘drive-thru’ would have on neighbouring properties like his at Rainford Road.
He said: “If this goes ahead with 24 hours a day, there will be no break for residents seven days a week 365 days a year. It would go on forever – it’s not fair on the residents.”
Liberal Democrat Councillor Teresa Simm, who voted against the proposals along with Rainford Conservative Councillor Allan Jones, raised alarm bells over what she regards as already being a very busy site that includes a petrol station and Tesco store.
Nevertheless, plans for the Starbucks, which will offer seating inside for 65 people, an outdoor patio and 23 parking spaces, got the green light, with councillors pointing out the Tesco store is already in operation around the clock.
However, a condition stating that the 16-place outdoor seating area must not be used between 8pm and 7am, was added to a list of provisions, one of which will be a noise assessment to ensure the coffee shop will not pose a nuisance to residents.
Graham Cockburn, a planning consultant representing Euro Garages, said his client will be keen to make a swift start on the development once the planning conditions are met.