COUNCILLORS have approved plans for the redevelopment of a Chester petrol station site which includes creating a drive-thru food and drink facility.

Cheshire West and Chester Council's planning committee voted in favour of the proposal for Moston Service Station on Liverpool Road when they met on July 6.

The planning application submitted last year by Petrogas Group proposes to demolish the existing petrol station with the removal of all buildings, forecourt pumps, canopy and underground tanks and pipework.

As part of the plans, a new single-storey sales building – including a drive thru-facility and ATM – will be constructed along with four pump islands and a canopy, two underground tanks, petrol interceptor, drainage containment and one electric vehicle charging bay.

There would also be ten parking spaces created at the redeveloped site.

Although no operator has been confirmed for the drive-thru yet, it is likely to provide coffee and pre-prepared food and would not be offering a fast food service.

A condition prohibits hot food from being made or prepared on site.

Chester and District Standard:

The proposals for Moston Service Station in Chester. Image: Planning application.

In a report to members ahead of the meeting, council case officer Steven Holmes recommended that the plans should be approved.

A number of objections had been made in relation to the proposed development by nearby residents.

Among a number of issues raised included concerns over an increase in traffic levels having an adverse impact on the safety of the surrounding highway network, specifically in relation to the potential for queuing on the A41 and the site being used as a ‘cut through’ between Moston Road and Liverpool Road.

Councillor Jill Houlbrook, who called the application in to the planning committee, addressed members to voice her opposition to the proposals and call for refusal.

She said: "As ward member I'd like to thank residents for their thorough resume of objections. The increase in traffic would have an adverse impact on the green belt. It can't be deemed as sustainable.

"Permitting a development to increase car use and in the green belt seems extremely contradictory and perverse to me."

Councillors Norman Wright and Myles Hogg raised points about queueing traffic potentially impacting the road network as a result of the drive-thru and whether there was any way of guaranteeing this would not happen.

Leading principal development officer Paul Parry responded by saying he could never issue a guarantee, but did not believe it would create any significant issues above what is already experienced in the area.

He told the meeting that two to three minutes is "fairly typical" in terms of the waiting time for the type of drive-thru facility it would be.

"Could the drive through lane cope with the expected increase? It can", explained Mr Parry, who added that the layout had been amended to deal with the increase in vehicles.

The triangular site currently comprises a forecourt with a canopy and a total of eight pumps, and a part single, part two-storey building with a shop and concession areas to the front, and workshops to the rear.

There is a redundant car wash located to the side of the building and a working car wash to the rear.

Planning permission was granted back in December 2017 for the demolition of the existing buildings, canopy and removal of fuel tanks and the erection of replacement facilities but was never implemented and had since expired.