New Chichester coffee shop and restaurant with drive-thru due to open off A27

The application for the site in Portfield Way, next to the Portfield roundabout, was given the nod during a meeting of the planning committee on Wednesday (November 3).

It will include a drive-thru lane, landscaping work and a new entrance to the building.

The site already houses a McDonald’s and Costa Coffee drive-thru.

Concerns had been raised by Chichester City Council that the drive-thru could lead to traffic queuing onto the main road.

But Kevin Hydes, business director for applicant Tim Hortons UK & Ireland, said the company’s highways consultant had carried out a detailed assessment – submitted to both Highways England and the county highways team – which showed there would be ‘no adverse impact’.

Mr Hydes told the meeting the coffee shop/restaurant would be the first one the company had opened south of London and would create around 50 jobs.

He added: “We’re keen to bring the development forward as soon as we possibly can.”

There was some discussion among councillors about granting temporary permission while the traffic situation was monitored for a couple of years.

But this route was deemed unreasonable, not least because there had already been a restaurant on the site.

In the end, members gave their unanimous support to the plans.

Peter Wilding (Con, Fernhurst) said: “This will create jobs and economic activity and if we don’t do it we will have an empty building.”