Bridgnorth in line for its first McDonald's and Starbucks with 135 jobs on the way

An application has been submitted for the fast food and coffee giants to have new locations at Chartwell Business Park in Bridgnorth.

Both would have drive-thru facilities and a combined 66 parking spaces. Neither of the chains currently have a presence in Bridgnorth.

The applicants, Chartwell Development Limited, considered the Smithfield car park site near Sainsbury's as well as other town centre options, but the business park off Stourbridge Road was considered the most viable option.

There would be around 120 jobs created at McDonald's, including 45 full-time and 75 part-time roles. At Starbucks, there would be 15 jobs created - eight full-time and seven part-time.

According to the applicant, the development "will not negatively impact" neighbouring occupiers.

A design and access statement says: "The application site is located within an established retail/commercial/employment area in Bridgnorth where there is a dense concentration of such uses and where the future growth of such use is encouraged by the development plan.

"It is highly unlikely that the trading effects of the proposed restaurant and coffee shop will result in an unacceptable impact upon the amenity of neighbouring occupiers. The accompanying Transport Assessment demonstrates that the traffic generated by the proposal can be accommodated within the application site and the surrounding road network without prejudicing the function of neighbouring uses.

"Similarly, odours generated by the proposal will be appropriately mitigated through the installation of appropriate extraction and ventilation equipment within the buildings, as appropriate. The McDonald’s restaurant will be fitted with a common ducted extraction system, which discharges to the atmosphere at 15m/s at nominal design air volume flowrate, to provide effective dispersal of the exhaust air.

"Conversely, no cooking or food preparation will be undertaken within the Starbucks coffee shop, other than the heating/toasting of sandwiches. No extraction equipment is, therefore, required in that unit. Neighbouring occupiers are, therefore, highly unlikely to experience any adverse amenity impacts upon their business as a result of cooking odour.

"It is also noted that there are no sensitive uses, such as residential dwellings, located in close proximity to the application site that the proposal might have the potential to impact upon. Indeed, the closest neighbouring resident is located on College Court approximately 200m to the north west of the proposed restaurant. This intervening distance, and the presence of other sources of noise and odour (including a household waste transfer facility) between the dwelling and the application site, indicates that the impact of the proposal on the closest resident is more than likely to be negligible."

To see the application in full and comment, visit bit.ly/41f5eej.