‘Drive-Thru’ Restaurant Proposed For Wrexham Retail Park

A ‘drive-thru’ takeway could be developed on a town centre retail park if planning proposals are given the go ahead.

In an application submitted to Wrexham Council it has been proposed that a two storey drive-thru takeaway is developed on car parking space on the south eastern part of the Island Green.

The proposals, which have been submitted in two parts, have been lodged on behalf of Henderson Retail Warehouse Fund, owners of Island Green Shopping Park.

The site recommended for the development is on the south eastern car park of Island Green, which is a ‘surface level car park’ and is situated between the former tannery building (Y Werddon) and the existing stores on Island Green. The drive through would operate between midnight and 11:50pm throughout the week, included Sunday’s and Bank Holidays and it is estimated that 45 jobs would be created at the drive thru if planning proposals are approved.

Within the application’s Design and Access Statement it is noted that the proposed development will be ‘sited centrally within the south eastern section of Island Green. It is a high quality two storey building design, different in character to the existing Island Green shop units located to the west and the Mitre buildings to the east. The scheme will maintain a landscaped setting along the Pentre Felin boundary’.

Proposed location (Picture – Google Maps)

The Design and Access Statement continues onto say: “The proposed building will provide an active physical presence, in contrast to the existing surface car park. The building will have a good quality appearance without having any over bearing or other adverse relationship to adjoining buildings and overall landscaping will be enhanced.

“Y Werddon will continue to provide an attractive background. The views/aspect from the ground floor windows of Y Werddon premises will not materially change, reflecting the unusual topography. The views from the first floor will now benefit from a more active set within a more extensive landscaped and public realm area.

“We consider that the proposed development will materially enhance the local character in accordance.”

One of the main changes that would occur if the application is approved by councillors is the reconfiguration of the Island Green Car Park, which would see increase of parking spaces for Island Green, which would see the total number of spaces on the retail park increased to 496.

The proposals would also see the removal of the internal roundabout on Island Green as it is ‘considered unnecessary and creates a significant barrier to pedestrian movement’. The Design and Access Statement continues onto say that the ‘removal of the roundabout will also allow related alterations which seek to alter the public realm to provide improves access from the south of the car park to the north of the shops’.

Back in 2011 a report was passed that restricted fast food outlets and takeaways from opening in close proximity to Wrexham schools. Figures included in the report revealed that 25% of children aged 8-9 in Wrexham’s schools are either overweight or obese, with obesity figures for adults in Wrexham standing at 54%. A quick nose at Google Maps shows that St Mary’s Catholic Primary School on Lea Road is located less than 100m away from the proposed fast food restaurant.

Within Wrexham Council’s Local Planning Guidance it is noted: “In the County Borough nearly 60% of schools are located near to hot food takeaway outlets. Having additional outlets close to schools would negate efforts by the Council and its partners in supporting the Healthy Schools and Appetite for Life Programmes to ensure that young people have access to healthy options. Whilst pupils in primary education are not allowed out of school premises during the school day, research indicates that the most popular time for purchasing food from shops is after school.”

However the guidance also states: “Hot food takeaways may be acceptable in -Wrexham town centre (nonprincipal shopping streets) where less than 30% of the total length of one side of a street frontage and no two consecutive units are used for such purposes.” It is also noted that fast food restaurants and takeaways can be developed ‘in other local mixed residential/commercial areas and isolated locations’.

The application is expected to go before Wrexham’s Planning Committee at a later date.