McDonald’s and Costa Coffee drive throughs could be coming to Eastbourne

Two new drive throughs could be built within a retail park in Eastbourne if plans are given the green light.
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Plans have been submitted to Eastbourne Borough Council (EBC) to knock down two units within The Crumbles in Sovereign Harbour Retail Park which is made up of 11 units and a petrol station. The plans say: “The site currently comprises two vacant retail units to the north of the retail park, previously occupied by Frankie and Benny’s and Defiant Sports.”

According to the proposal, unit 1 would become a Costa Coffee drive through, and unit 2 would be a McDonald’s. The closest Costa Coffee drive through is currently in Hampden Retail Park, and there’s a McDonald’s drive through in Lottbridge Drove.

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Plans say the objectives of the proposal are to ‘enhance the existing uses of Sovereign Harbour Retail Park by providing two new drive through pod units’ and ‘provide employment opportunities for local people’.

McDonald’s and Costa Coffee drive throughs could be coming to Eastbourne (photo from EBC)McDonald’s and Costa Coffee drive throughs could be coming to Eastbourne (photo from EBC)
McDonald’s and Costa Coffee drive throughs could be coming to Eastbourne (photo from EBC)

If approved, the access point would stay the same - to the north of the site, which stems straight from the A259 and leads to Waterfront car park. However, the changes would alter the car parking layout and result in a loss of 35 parking spaces in total. There would be an increase in disability spaces though, rising to 28, and five new motorbike spaces.

Some existing vegetation and trees would be removed to make way for the drive through and their lanes. Plans say: “The landscaping and car parking area will be made good with the proposed works, incorporating new low level planting and trees.”

If the plans go ahead, 38 full-time jobs and 69 part-time jobs would be created according to the plans.

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Resident Tony Lee backs the plans and said in a letter to the council: “[The space] desperately needs utilising rather than having empty buildings.”

McDonald’s and Costa Coffee drive throughs could be coming to Eastbourne (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)McDonald’s and Costa Coffee drive throughs could be coming to Eastbourne (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
McDonald’s and Costa Coffee drive throughs could be coming to Eastbourne (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Members of the public can comment on the plans until December 24. The target determination date is January 18 (reference: 220877).

There’s also been three other planning applications submitted to EBC from McDonald’s about the signs that would be created at the drive through. Comments are being taken until December 23 and the target determination date for those applications is January 20 (references: 220914 / 220915 / 220916).

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