A new drive-thru coffee shop is set to arrive in Gloucester, despite numerous concerns about road safety and “oversaturation” depriving existing businesses.

Plans for a vacant former dance studio on Kingsway Business Park in Quedgeley have been approved by the city council.

Robert Hitchins Ltd has permission to demolish the existing two-storey 2,130sq m building to create a much smaller, single-storey coffee shop with a 162sq m floor area.

It will have indoor and outdoor seating and 30 parking spaces and will be open every day from 5.30 in the morning until 23.30 at night.

When first submitted, the proposal received 19 objections and three letters of support. The designs were changed and a second public consultation received 46 objections.

One of them said: “Building this means you are disconnected from the needs of local residents. This will be the fourth coffee shop in a three-mile radius – two Costas, the Roastery and Jane’s Pantry. We don’t need another.”

There are currently 11 drive-thru coffee shops in the city, according to Google.

Another objector said: “This will have a major impact on residents of Naas Lane and will cause a significant increase in traffic to the junction with Rudloe Drive. “This junction is already incredibly busy and extremely dangerous at peak hours.

“The addition of another chain store will have an impact on our local, independent coffee shops, where there are several excellent coffee shops, at a time when they need our support more than ever.”

Quedgeley Borough Council also said it would create “unacceptable traffic impacts” at the junction.

A report to Gloucester City Council by Representative Savills said local residents and workers in the Waterwells Business Park, Waterwells Park & ​​Ride and Kingsway residential area needed a coffee shop in the area.

It was stated that the development would create 15 full-time equivalent jobs.

The council’s highways officer did not object to the plan and said the “consequences of the development are being fully investigated”.

The planning officer concluded it “will not have a negative impact on the variability and viability of any local or town centre”.

The permit was granted on Monday, November 18.