New Kettering drive-thru plan set for green light despite traffic fears

A new drive-thru restaurant looks set to be built at a Kettering retail park despite fears it would make traffic unbearable.

Developers HB Pearce Contractors Ltd want to build the eatery at the Stanier Retail Park in Stanier Close, although it has not yet been decided which restaurant would open there.

Those in units nearby raised concerns about the impact it would have on the already-congested junction with Northfield Avenue.

But Stanier Close is a private highway and North Northamptonshire Council has not objected to the proposal over traffic congestion on their own highways network. Council planning officers are recommending that the plan is approved tomorrow night (Wednesday), with conditions including that it can’t trade between midnight and 6am.

A report set to be discussed by councillors said: "The proposed drive-thru restaurant is acceptable in principle and in terms of living conditions, design and appearance, biodiversity, waste management, environmental matters, highway safety, operational hours, employment and town centre uses. Therefore, it is recommended that planning permission be granted.”

The proposed drive-thru would be next to the existing McDonald’s on the retail park and would create about 15 jobs.

The manager of that fast-food outlet raised concerns that added traffic could be unbearable, adding that there is sometimes gridlock and chaos at peak times.

Kettering Town Council said the extra traffic created by the development would put too much pressure put on the junction with Northfield Avenue.

And charity Teamwork Trust, who have a base in Stanier Close, say that three of their staff members have had their cars written off due to traffic coming out of the retail park.

Plans say that other local sites were looked at – including the former Naseby Hotel and town centre M&S store – but were ruled out as they were not suitable.

A planning statement said: “The new unit would also offer an alternative to the newly-built McDonald’s unit albeit not necessarily a direct competitor.

“It will improve customer choice for visitors to Stanier Retail Park and provide a complementary retail offer to the park.”

There is currently an encampment of people living on NNC-owned land adjacent to the site’s proposed access point. The council report said that discussions have been held over how to address the ‘careful relocation’ of them.