New drive-thru Costa planned at old Pizza Hut premises in Bolton

A new drive-thru Costa Coffee outlet is set to be built on a retail park in Bolton.

Plans for the drive-thru, at Bolton Gate Retail Park, Turton Street, have been submitted the the council in the past week.

The site is the former Pizza Hut restaurant which is currently empty.

The existing building will be split into a two units, with Costa confirmed as the occupier of one. A drive-thru lane will be created and the car park will be reconfigured.

The plans state that is approved the coffee shop will create the equivalent of 14 new jobs with annual wages generated of around £270,000 in total. Other businesses at Bolton Gate, to the north of the town centre, include Dunhelm, Currys/PC World and Hobbycraft.

In  supporting documents lodged with the plans, applicants M7 Reak Eastate, said: “The proposed development is to the former Pizza Hut unit to convert floorspace into into two units. One of the units will be occupied by Costa Coffee.

“The tenant for the other unit is yet to be confirmed. The proposal will regenerate previously developed land at the retail park, bringing back vacant floorspace into beneficial economic use.

“It is envisaged that that a significant proportion of the customers to the drive-thru will do so as part of a shopping trip to the retail park. Customers may also link a trip to the site as part of an existing trip to or from work, home or other activity.”

Work to create the drive-thru element of the units will mean the loss of 24 car parking spaces. The plans will now be considered by Bolton Council.