Costa unveils plans for new drive-thru in Portsmouth at the Pompey Centre

The company has applied to the city council for planning permission to build a drive-thru coffee shop in the centre’s car park, opposite McDonald’s.

“The current Pompey Centre industrial park addresses a lot of customer needs, from DIY equipment to fast and affordable takeaway food, however there is always scope for development and new customer audiences to be reached,” it said in a statement submitted with the planning application.

“This application seeks approval for a new Costa Coffee development to add to the offers available within the site. The proposal will not only bring a range of new clientele to the Pompey Centre, increasing the possible revenue for all surrounding companies, but also provide new jobs and opportunities to the local community.”

The application was submitted by Box + III Limited and includes proposal for 5am-11pm opening hours seven days a week and would create the equivalent of 15 full-time jobs. Should council planners approve the building, it would replace 61 parking spaces, however Costa said this would have a “negligible” impact given the amount of spaces for B&Q that would remain.

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Consultancy Vail Williams has been commissioned to oversee the application process on behalf of Box + III. It said the scheme complied with council policy.

“The policies within the adopted Local Plan allows for development of town centre uses of up to 280sqm in locations outside of main town centres and local centres. The proposed development is 229 sqm and therefore falls well below that threshold and should therefore be considered acceptable in principle.

“Notwithstanding that, the Pompey Centre is an established retail and commercial location with 2 drive thrus already in situ thus demonstrating the principal of developments has already been considered acceptable by Portsmouth City Council.”

The council has set a deadline of December 1 for reaching a decision on whether to grant planning permission.