A ‘Go’ petrol filling station – complete with two new drive-thru outlets – could create over 160 jobs in Lurgan thanks to a planned investment of around £8 million.
The exciting proposals have been drawn up by the Co Tyrone-based LCC Group Ltd, which owns the ‘Go’ brand.
The plans have been placed before ABC Council for consideration and come after an earlier pre-application notice, indicating the proposals fall within the ‘major’ category of development.
The exact location of the intended development is on “lands at Millennium Way, adjacent to and south-east of Home Bargains, west of and adjacent to nos.1 to 9 (odds) Gilford Road and 60m south-west of nos. 2-30 Hamilton Street (evens), Lurgan”.
The application is for a “high quality mixed deveopment”.
The petrol filling station would be unmanned and include 10 fuel pumps, which would be self-serve and payable by card.
There would also be two service bays, four drive-thru lance washes, two drive-thru car washes and five valet bays.
The drive-thru developments, meanwhile, would take the form of a coffee shop outlet – with two waiting bays – and a hot food/restaurant, with both internal and external seating.
A supporting statement explains: “the coffee pod is located in the eastern portion of the site; as this is a drive-thru it is capable of holding 15 vehicles from the entrance of the drive-thru to the pick-up point. The coffee pod will offer indoor and outdoor seating with three disabled parking spaces.
“To the north of the site, the drive-thru restaurant will be accessed by the new proposed road serving the site. The drive-thru system can hold approximately 24 vehicles with two waiting bays beside the pickup-point.
“Parking is provided to serve the restaurant with three disabled parking spaces. While the restaurant offers a drive-thru, it will also provide indoor catering and outdoor seating.”
While the plans do not detail planned tenants for the drive-thru units, a transport assessment form makes comparisons to McDonalds, Burger King and Supermac’s and Papa John’s in terms of the ‘restaurant’.
The coffee shop drive-thru, meanwhile, makes traffic comparisons to Costa Coffee, Starbucks, Froth Coffee and Bewitched Coffee.
Currently described in its present form as a “brownfield site”, the applicant intends to provide a total of 66 parking spaces across the new area.
According to the supporting statement, the development, if approved, would deliver an economic investment of £8m.
It would create around 40 jobs during construction works, with an estimated 125 more both full and part-time positions, when up and running.
The main access will be by the existing roundabout via Millenium Way, shared with Home Bargains to the west of the site.
The supporting statement indicates that the proposals includs landscaping throughout the site, with a range of tree species integrated throughout the development, with a “heavy density landscape buffer to minimise the visual impact on the neighbouring” houses.
And, in asking for planning officials to look favourably on the scheme, it adds: Careful consideration has been given to how the proposal delivers a quality and sustainable development that contributes towards job creation whilst safeguarding environmental and social receptors.
“The impacts of the petrol filling station and drive-thru units have been considered in respect of traffic progression, parking, and residential amenity amongst other consideration and suitable mitigation measures have been incorporated into the detailed design and layout of the scheme.”
The application will now be advertised shortly with a decision expected in due course.
