Canadian restaurant chain Tim Hortons looks to open its first Hampshire branch in Gosport

Chapman Lily Planning Limited, on behalf of Tim Hortons, has applied to Gosport Borough Council for the construction of a fast-casual restaurant at Fareham Business Park off of Fareham Road.

Tim Hortons is a newcomer to the UK market which can be best described as a restaurant chain with a cafe and a bakehouse.

Planning documents state: ‘The Tim Hortons offer is different from that provided by the likes of McDonalds, KFC and Burger King and is comparable to that provided by coffee shop operators such as Costa or Starbucks, with a substantial part of the offer comprising hot and cold beverages and bakery items, including an extensive choice of donuts.

‘The hot food offer includes paninis and "melts" as well as hot sandwiches and wraps, again similar to other coffee shop operators. Tim Hortons also places great emphasis on the ambience of its coffee shop/restaurant facilities, encouraging customers to dine in.’

SEE ALSO: Survey reveals two-thirds of people in Portsmouth are unsure how and where to recycle plastics

The Canadian company was founded in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario – it now has over 4,500 locations and is visited by 5.3m Canadians a day.

The proposal, if approved, would see the delivery of a 300 sq m single-storey restaurant next to the existing KFC drive-through.

On the site there is also a Toolstation, a Formula One garage and a self-storage firm.

The development would provide 39 parking spaces in addition to four accessible spaces and 10 cycle spaces. The proposal would also create up to 50 full-time equivalent jobs.

The application has received five comments from local residents, three in opposition and two in support.