Plans for a new Starbucks in a Suffolk town have been approved despite numerous concerns raised by residents.
A new Starbucks with drive-thru and parking will be built at Weavers Meadow in Ipswich Road in Hadleigh, along the A1071, with access from Ellen Aldous Avenue.
The coffee shop will span just under 200 square metres and create around 20 new jobs in the town.
Hadleigh residents had previously raised concerns that the site's location, close to a busy roundabout, would cause traffic and parking problems for locals.
One of them said in objection to the scheme: “There are already problems with parked cars on Ellen Aldous Avenue. It is often dangerous driving on or off the Weavers Meadow Estate due to the lack of vision caused by the parked cars.
“A Starbucks would bring in more traffic and potentially more parked cars. “
Residents also feared that the new venue could increase pollution, as the vehicles would sit with their engines running, waiting for their orders.
The neighbours said that the new Starbucks may bring noise, anti-social behaviour and littering problems to the area.
Local residents also worry that the popular chain will take over customers from small independent cafés located around the town.
They pointed out that the café would be focused mainly on drivers, as pedestrians and cyclists' access to the site could be problematic.
The decision also met with some scepticism from councillor Simon Dowling, representing Hadleigh North, who said: “This is sad news for the local people and businesses of Hadleigh, the people who will bear the brunt of an inappropriate development like this.
“I would much rather see this area used for the benefit of the whole town rather than just passing motorists.”
Councillor Helen Davies, the vice chair of the committee, explained the decision: “While we feel for the local residents, we cannot refuse a planning application unless there are strong defendable reasons for doing and unfortunately there weren’t in this case. “
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