Legal & General’s Starbucks drive-thru appeal angers Blackpole residents after city council originally rejected the development.
Jill Desayrah opposed the drive-thru plan and still fights against the project. She said residents were angry about the appeal. She believes the council had good reasons to reject it.
Desayrah wants residents to show their opposition by writing to the Planning Inspectorate. People need to enter a case reference number, which is APP/D1835/W/24/3358145.
Desayrah believes the council made the correct choice and put safety first. She said the plan had flaws and she will fight the Starbucks appeal because the safety issues remain eight months later.
Legal & General appealed to a government official, the Secretary of State. They are appealing the council’s decision to refuse permission.
The appeal will be based on written statements that people submit online using the Planning Inspectorate website. The appeal was lodged January 30.
Desayrah spoke against the plan earlier, protesting with residents in June. Legal and General own the retail park and made the application.
The drive-thru design was a problem, creating issues for cyclists, walkers, and cars. The city council rejected the plan which specified materials of off-white render and timber.
Desayrah, a city councillor representing Warndon and Elbury Park, asked the committee to discuss the plan. Matt Brown, who lives near the retail park, also spoke against it.
The business would use 30 parking spots and create 25 new jobs. People worried about antisocial behavior, noise, and traffic jams which could worsen on Blackpole Road.
An agent spoke to support the plan, stating that they considered other locations but they were not suitable. They said the council agreed with their location choice and there’s no reason to refuse.