Councillors objected to plans for a drive-through Costa in Congleton because Cheshire East Council has not fulfilled a "promised" replacement location for the town's tip.

Nub News has previously reported that the lease is not being renewed for Congleton's household waste and recycling centre, off Barn Road, and a recent consultation highlighted Cheshire East's plans to close it.

The current owner of the site has submitted plans to serve the town a new coffee shop.

The application was discussed at last Thursday's Congleton Town Council planning meeting.

Cllr Robert Douglas said: "We have to accept that the existing recycling site is not really fit for purpose under the disability and discrimination act.

"It is important that we put in the comments for the application, that the applicant has employed JLL Planning from Manchester, who in their proposal state that it is relevant to take into consideration Cheshire East Council's commitment to fund the relocation of the facility, within their medium-term strategy in which they set out a budget allocation of £4million pounds.

"That seems to be a crucial part of the application and given the current site is not in line with the disability and discrimination act and the residents of Congleton deserve and require a brand new £4million pound site."

Cllr Douglas also had landscaping concerns regarding the replacement of trees and hedges that would be removed.

The Liberal Democrat councillors also wanted to ensure the site was "fit for purpose" in relation to hazardous ground contamination.

However, he proposed the town council approved the application subject to Cheshire East meeting the commitment which the applicant stated and provided a new tip site for residents.

Cllr Kay Wesley pointed out that there was already two Costa's in Congleton and a further one in Tesco and a mini-Costa in the Shell garage, off Barn Road.

Cllr Wesley said: "Why we need another Costa Coffee in this particular location is questionable and the retail park next door has some empty spaces to."

Cllr Wesley felt there was not a planning reason to turn the application down "assuming the contaminated land could be ruled out".

But she did highlight that the application would result in the removal of 15 trees, which she hoped would be replaced at the site or within the Congleton area.

On the other hand, Cllr Duncan Amies felt the town council was sending the "wrong message" to Cheshire East if they offered no objection to the plans.

He wanted the town council to take a stronger approach and object to the plans subject to a confirmation from Cheshire East that the money would be allocated for a new local tip.

Cllr Russell Chadwick felt that if the town council recommended approval for the proposal, it would be deemed that they were not supporting and listening to the residents, as well as giving a green light to Cheshire East to not "move forward with the new tip".

He instead suggested that the town council recommended refusal due to a new modern and fit-for-purpose site not yet earmarked.

Cllr Chadwick added: "We have got to stand up to Cheshire East. It is a difficult application, but if we give the green light, I do not think it would be seen by residents as doing the right thing.

"If we had got a concrete plan for a new tip, then yes this application would be fine, but we haven't and we would be voting away a very important asset for the town."

Cllr Amanda Martin pointed out that the conservation officers said some of trees at the woodland on the north side of the site, which is called 'Warbutons Wood', a local wildlife site, would be cut down, if the application was approved.

Cllr Wesley felt the application would result in a breach of the Environmental Act 1990, as there would not be a household waste and recycling centre within a reasonable distance to all the residents of Congleton.

Cllr Douglas told the committee that the site was not owned by Cheshire East and therefore "they were not in control of the situation".

He added: "The landowner has made it clear he does not want them [Cheshire East] to carry on, so you could have a situation where we end up with an empty patch of land.

"If they [landowner] decided they do not want to give it to Cheshire East, there will be no recycling site whatsoever.

"I think rejecting the application is a mistake and I think we should be approving it, make it a requirement that they [Cheshire East] stick to that clause [fund new site]."

Cllr Chadwick felt councillors were "missing the point" and recommending refusal for the application would show the town council is standing up and working for their residents.

Cllr Chadwick added: "We should show residents that we are with them hand in glove and reject this. I know the landlord is going to kick Cheshire East off the land, we all know that.

"If we green light this application, all that residents will say that the town council is hand in glove with Cheshire East and why fill in any surveys because nobody takes any notice of us.

"This is just about showing solidarity with residents."

Cllr Amies cited previous planning applications had been refused due to a lack of information and with the current application mentioning plans for a new tip, but with no information forthcoming, he felt the plans should be rejected until information regarding the new tip was provided.

He added: "This would thereby force Cheshire East's hand to tell us what that [new tip] is going to be."

Congleton Town Council objected to the application because they could not approve a change of use of the site, until there was a "firm commitment" from Cheshire East to provide the "promised" £4milllion new household and recycling site in the town that was approved and budgeted for by Cheshire East on 20 February 2020.

Landowner Bluemantle said in proposal that the plan was to clear the site and build a drive-through shop, which would be operated by Costa.

There would be parking for 24 cars, including two cycle parking hoops (four spaces), a waiting space, two disabled spaces and two spaces for electric cars.

A new access road would be provided closer to Barn Road than the current access road. According to the plans, dedicated core and fresh deliveries would take place three times a week.

The proposed opening hours for Costa would be from 5am to 11pm, Mondays to Sundays, including bank holidays.

The drive-through development would typically create 15 full/part-time jobs with flexible shifts. This is typically the equivalent of 11 full time jobs. The application stated that Costa did not use zero hours contracts.

Commenting on the overall principle of the development, Cheshire East Council said: "The proposed drive-through would be on an existing business park within the settlement zone line of Congleton.

"As such there is a presumption in favour of development. The proposal is therefore considered to be acceptable in principle."

The last date for submitting comments on the application which can be accessed here is 4 February and the council's decision target date is 15 February.