Costa Drive-Through Coffee Shop in Ebbw Vale Put on Hold as Application Reviewed

NO coffee will be brewed at a drive-through Costa shop in Ebbw Vale for at least a few months as a decision on the application has been put on ice.
A brand new application may be needed and approved before a coffee shop can be built there.
At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Planning committee on Thursday, January 11 councillors considered a proposal for by Huddersfield based Commercial Development Projects Limited for a drive-through bakery at land next to the KFC on Waun-y -Pound road in Ebbw Vale.
The application is for A1 and A3 planning uses which includes restaurants and cafés.
Effectively Costa Coffee is to replace a Greggs drive-through bakery, which was claimed could create “15 to 20 jobs,” when it was given permission at a planning meeting in February last year.
Blaenau Gwent Planning Officer Sophie Godfrey had recommended approval.
But at the meeting concern about the precise wording of the application was questioned by the firm’s planning agent Mathew Gray of Montagu Evans LLP.
Mr Gray said: “I’m conscious that the description is referring to a drive-through bakery while this application is for Costa rather than Greggs.
“I just wonder procedurally if we can address that, as we would need to remove the word bakery from the description.”
He asked for legal advice on the issue.
Planning Development Team Manager Steph Hopkins told the meeting that “bakery” had been written on the application form.
Committee Chairwoman Lisa Winnett said: “It may say bakery as Costa also sell cakes and pastries not just coffee.”
Mr Gray said: “It may need to be coffee shop/bakery, if that’s not been included on the forms, we’d need to correct that.
“It has to be right for members to consider it.”
“I’m a bit nervous about it.”
Mrs Hopkins said: “Legally we should not make any changes to the development description because this is how it has been advertised.
“People will have seen this advertised as a bakery and have no concerns but they may have if it’s a Costa or vice versa.”
Mr Gray asked if it was “better” to defer the application for a month?
“I don’t want any misunderstanding or anyone to be misled, ” said Mr Gray
Mrs Hopkins suggested that Mr Gray discuss the proposal again with planning officers.
She explained that this application may need to be “withdrawn” and a fresh application lodged with the council.
There would also be a need for a further 21 day consultation period to take place again.
Cllr Winnett said that this could push back the development by “three to four” months before it came back to the committee.
Mr Gray said: “I understand that I’m happy for it to be deferred.”
The committee deferred the application and it’s expected that talks will now take place between developers and Blaenau Gwent planners. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​