Queensferry: Council green lights plans to demolish half built Starbucks and rebuild it

Flintshire County Council has approved the demolition of an unfinished drive-thru coffee shop in Queensferry and the construction of a new one just metres away.

Work on a new Starbucks drive-thru, located in the car park of the Asda supermarket, was halted due to it conflicting with a mains sewer discovered during construction.

A planning application was originally lodged in October 2022 by EG Group, owned by the billionaire Issa brothers, who acquired the Asda supermarket chain from its US owner, Walmart, in 2020.

The council approved the plans two months later.

Work began in April 2023 on the drive-thru coffee shop located in a portion of the car park formerly allocated for Asda’s click-and-collect service, opposite the petrol station.

However, just weeks after construction began on the new coffee shop, contractors unexpectedly withdrew from the site, leaving it partially constructed.

Fresh plans were submitted in March for the demolition and reconstruction of the half-finished coffee shop, which has become an eyesore in the supermarket’s car park.

The council’s decision to give the go-ahead for the demolition and rebuild, some 30 metres into the next section of the car park, comes after consultations with local councillors and community councils of Shotton and Queensferry, who expressed no objections to the redevelopment plan.

In terms of public response, the proposal has met with some concerns regarding cycle parking and access for cyclists, prompting suggestions for improved cycle stand locations and safer access routes to the site.

These concerns are under review, with potential adjustments to meet local active travel policies.

The site’s proximity to the Grade II Listed War Memorial Institute was also a key consideration, with the council and conservation bodies reviewing the potential impact on this historic building.

The findings concluded that the coffee shop’s construction would not adversely affect the setting of the memorial, allowing the project to proceed without compromising the area’s heritage.

Planning officer Alison Dean said: “The principle of the proposal is supported in policy and there would be no adverse effect on the setting of the nearby Listed Building, on the character and appearance of the area or on the highway. The application is accordingly recommended for approval.”

According to the plans, the new development, covering 185 square metres, will include an inside seating area.

A number of full and part-time jobs will be created as a result of the development.