PLANS to demolish and rebuild a half-completed Starbucks in Flintshire have been given the green light.
In December 2022, the chain was given the go ahead to create a coffeehouse on the car park of the Asda supermarket in Queensferry.
Work started on the site in spring 2023, but then stopped suddenly without explanation, leaving the drive-thru facility unfinished.
EG Group Ltd, which is the UK’s largest operator of Starbucks franchises, applied to Flintshire Council in February this year to construct an identical restaurant on a different area of the same car park.
The company revealed the initial development was abandoned due to issues with the location of a sewer pipe.
Proposals to demolish the incomplete structure and create a new coffeehouse 26 metres away have now been approved by a planning officer from the local authority.
In a report, Alison Dean said: “The application site is located within the settlement boundary for Queensferry and form forms part of the district centre as defined in the Flintshire Local Development Plan.
“The site is situated on an area of ASDA car park, to the north of the fuel station.
“The application proposes a small-scale, single storey rectangular building with a drive thru running round the outsides and parking.
“The building is modern in design and appears high quality. It is considered that the scale, form and design of the proposed building would be appropriate in the locality and would complement the existing ASDA store.”
The coffeehouse will be located near to a Grade II-listed war memorial Institute which dates back to 1920 and was opened by former Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire Henry Neville Gladstone.
However, Ms Dean said on conservation officers had raised no objections to the proposal.
Once demolished, the partly completed Starbucks building will be reinstated as an area for parking.
The application was approved by council officers using delegated powers.