Glasgow church objects plans for Gorbals Starbucks drive thru in 'low car-owning area'

A Gorbals church has objected to plans for a Starbucks drive thru in the middle of a local centre where few residents have cars.

The coffee premises would be built in a car park in Crown Street near a church, library, health centre and a Co-op.

Firm Euro Garages Ltd have applied for permission to build a cafe with a drive thru and car parking. A drive thru scheme was originally approved in 2018 and the applicant also lodged a plan to vary a condition.

In an objection to that variation, Gorbals Parish Church pointed out “there is a low incidence of car ownership meaning this will not be of benefit to the local community.”

The church also raised concerns that an increase in traffic “in the low car-owning area” would “endanger the safety of pedestrians and cyclists.”

Another fear is emissions from idling cars waiting to be served and at the traffic lights, which would pose a “health concern” in an area with a “high incidence of respiratory diseases”.

A planning statement said there would be “modest changes to the site layout and design of the café unit” when compared with the approved application.

The statement lodged on behalf of Euro Garages added: “Through the modern and innovative design and proposed landscaping, the development will positively contribute to the area’s visual appeal and generally enhance the aesthetic quality of general surrounding area. The proposed scale, massing and siting of the development is appropriate to the buildings adjacent to, and surrounding, the application site.”

It also said the principle of the development has been “established” as duplicated plans were approved about five years ago.

The statement said: “The proposed development duplicates the nature of the extant permission, thus it is considered that the principle of a Class 3 café with drive-thru facility on the application site has already been established.”

It comes after councillors decided last year to make the building of drive thrus more difficult in Glasgow with stricter planning rules.

New guidance is to “prevent additional drive thrus within town centres and local centres which do not include existing retail parks or large areas of surplus car parking with existing car-borne traffic”.

The application is to be considered.