COFFEE lovers in Bridgwater will have to wait a little longer to see if a new drive-thru outlet will be opening in their town.

WM Morrisons Supermarkets plc applied to build a drive-thru coffee outlet in the north-eastern corner of the car park of their existing store on The Broadway.

The outlet will be occupied by Starbucks as part of a plan to “rejuvenate under-used areas” of the car park, creating up to 15 full-time jobs.

Sedgemoor District Council’s development committee was expected to approve the plans when it met in Bridgwater in Thursday morning (February 10).

However, councillors ultimately voted to defer a decision until more information had been provided about the outlet’s impact on air pollution, anti-social behaviour and existing businesses in the town centre.

If approved, the new outlet will be built in the north-eastern corner of the car park, which backs onto Broadway near the junction with the A38 Taunton Road.

As well as the drive-thru lane, customers will be provided with a choice of outdoor seating, with the outlet being open daily between 5am and 11pm (including Sundays and bank holidays).

Bridgwater Mercury: Proposed Location Of The Starbucks Drive Thru Outlet Within The Car Park Of The Bridgwater Morrisons Store. CREDIT: Google Maps. Free to use for all BBC wire partners.

Ollie Thomas, representing the applicant, told the committee: “The proposed development is sited within a suitable location on brownfield land. This will support the continued viability and vitality of Bridgwater town centre.”

Councillor Kathy Pearce – whose Bridgwater Westover ward includes the site – spoke strongly against the plans, arguing they went against the council’s efforts to combat climate change.

She said: “We should plan for new development in a way which reduces greenhouse gas emissions. We should be encouraging people to walk, cycle and use public transport rather than drive – and I don’t understand how this meets those requirements.

“This application is presented to us as a drive-thru – therefore, it will be increasing carbon emissions. Morrisons already has a café, so I fail to see how presenting this as a drive-thru will not increase carbon emissions.”

Councillor Bill Revans added: “The agent referred to the beneficial impact on the town centre – which did raise my eyebrows somewhat.

“To my mind, this will stop people wandering into the town centre from Morrisons and using town centre shops.

“I’m surprised The Broadway isn’t an area of air pollution concern, given the volume of traffic there and the impact of Hinkley Point C.”

Bridgwater Mercury: Proposed Location Of The Starbucks Drive Thru Outlet Within The Car Park Of The Bridgwater Morrisons Store. CREDIT: Whittam Cox Architects. Free to use for all BBC wire partners.

Planning officer Dawn de Vries responded that The Broadway was “not in an area of air quality concerns at the moment”.

She added: “This will be an ancillary facility to those already visiting Morrisons. If you’re visiting Morrisons in a car, you’re not going to be driving into the town centre, but there are pedestrians connections here, so you could.”

Councillor Tony Heywood – who represents the neighbouring Bridgwater Eastover ward – argued that the new drive-thru would add to existing issues with anti-social behaviour and “boy racers”, leading to a lower quality of life for nearby residents.

He said: “We have significant problems in car parks in town centres with antisocial behaviour.

“Even when the supermarket is closed, it’s a useful place for people to congregate, and when it’s open it’s a place for people to dump rubbish.”

Councillor Alistair Hendry, by contrast, said concerns about pollution, litter and antisocial behaviour were largely unfounded.

He said: “The people in the McDonald’s drive-thru [on The Clink] pick up their coffees and drive off – what they do after that is beyond our control. Starbucks would be exactly the same.

“What is the difference in air pollution outside a McDonalds and a Starbucks? Boy racers can’t do their thing around Morrisons so easily, because it’s a narrow entrance near the petrol station.”

A motion to approve the plans narrowly failed by five votes to six, with two councillors abstaining.

The committee subsequently decided by a margin of eight votes to five to defer a decision until more information had been provided by the applicant on how the plans would affect air quality, antisocial behaviour and the vitality of the town centre.

The council has not indicated how soon the plans will come back before the committee.