Councillors back takeaway plan for town despite many concerns

A PLAN to bring a KFC drive-thru to Tiverton has been backed by town councillors - despite concerns about traffic congestion, litter, noise and its proximity to a popular youth park.

- by LEWIS CLARKE

The planning committee voted to support the application for a new single-storey take-away with drive-thru, a commercial unit, electric vehicle charging hub and 38 parking spaces on Blundell's Road.

But the decision was far from unanimous, with several councillors voicing strong objections to the scheme's potential impact on residents, road safety and the town's existing businesses.

The development, proposed by Clokken Ltd, would occupy vacant land opposite Lidl - a site that was once part of the Foundry Estate and has remained undeveloped. While the project promises jobs and new facilities, councillors warned it could bring unwanted consequences.

Cllr Tim Bridger issued the strongest opposition, slamming the traffic estimates in the application as "quite clearly not accurate" and warning that the predicted 24 vehicles per hour during peak times was a "significant underestimate".

"They would not be able to run a business with only getting 24 people an hour - so the amount of traffic is going to be significantly higher and much longer for the residents, who will have traffic, noise and smells from noon until midnight."

He also raised legal concerns, arguing the site may breach national planning guidance that restricts hot food takeaways within 400 metres of areas where young people congregate with Amory Park just 50 metres away.

"There's an exclusion in the National Planning Framework," he said. "Measure the distance between where they are and the park, and they are not allowed to site it there."