Plans for a new Tim Horton’s drive-thru in Lurgan have been given approval.
Proposals for the development – one of two planned drive-thru outlets in the Millennium Way area of the town – were lodged almost two years ago.
And a signed notice confirming planning approval was issued yesterday (Friday), to the applicant, Curley Properties Ltd.
Architects for a second planned drive-thru in the locality have since confirmed they are not representing Tim Horton but another ‘big chain’ name in the industry, the applicant being Millennium Way Developments Ltd.
Armagh I exclusively revealed proposals for the new Tim Hortons drive-thru – to be situated opposite the Home Bargains store – back in December 2021.
As revealed, the coffee shop will be a stand alone development and built on what is currently described as a “brownfield site”.
It is expected that in the region of 10 new jobs would be created as a result.
The Lurgan drive-thru would be one of the larger of the franchise’s outlets, offering a floorspace of around 3,500 sq ft, for dining both on and off the premises.
According to the professional planners’ report, there were no objections from any of the statutory agencies consulted.
In terms of access, the report says the new outlet “will be accessed via the internal roadway which serves the adjacent Home Bargains building”.
Lurgan Junior High School is situated to the south of the site on the opposite site of Millennium Way Road, Alwood Kitchens showroom and manufacturing unit are situated to the west of the site. There is ovegrown vacant land to the east while to the north can be found a mixture of apartments and housing off Shaerf Drive.
The report also answers concerns over developing the current site and how it would affect other businesses.
It states: “While it is recognised that the proposal is outside the town centre, it represents the creation of a drive through restaurant.
“This proposal will not result in the creation of new retail floor space outside of the town centre and as such will have no adverse impact on the town centre.”
Addressing the issue of other factors of concern, planners revealed that a noise impact assessment has been carried out.
They advise: “It states that the additional noise levels from the proposed Tim Hortons site will be primarily impacted
due to traffic flows associated with the development.
“The operation of the proposed external plant within the external yard area on the proposed eastern façade of the
building will not have a significant noise impact at the nearest residential properties either during daytime or night-time and that appropriate design mitigation measures have been implemented in the design, such as operating hours on the site will be from 7am to 11pm, and the proposed AHU and fridge condensers will be located in an external plant yard area and will be surrounded by a 3300mm high timber fence with no gaps.”
Regarding odour the applicant provided a technical briefing document, which states “Tim Hortons coffee shop and drive-thru will not operate conventional restaurant or take-away cooking methods” and that “prepared food is supplied to the store from a central distribution centre and it is heated in a convection oven”; therefore, “there is no cooking, frying or grilling undertaken on site”.
The briefing note concludes with “there is no potential for a significant odour impact in proximity to the nearest sensitive receptor locations due to the operation of the proposed Tim Hortons coffee shop at Millennium Way, Lurgan”.
Planners stated: “Given this information officers in consultation with the Environmental Health Department are
content that there would be no unacceptable impact on any nearby properties by mean of odour.”
Litter concerns are addressed with confirmation of a bin storage area to facilitate the development.
With concerns addressed, approval has now been granted subject to a number of conditions.
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