Plans for new Costa Coffee shop in Milton Keynes town are branded 'ludicrous'

Plans for a new drive-thru Costa Coffee shop on a patch of land in Olney have caused a protest.

Burnet Estates has submitted to Milton Keynes Council new proposals for land at 4 Osier Way in the town.

They outline the ‘construction of a 1,800-sqft Costa Coffee shop (café) and drive-thru’, and there would be new access from Osier Way along with 27 parking spaces.

But several objectors have raised concerns.

“I think the idea of having a drive-thru Costa on that piece of land is absurd,” wrote one. “I’d be really concerned with the volume of traffic attempting to enter and exit Osier Way, which would make it even more of a nightmare.

“There are many children [who] use the route, obviously to walk to school, [and] having more traffic…will encourage yet more cars parking on pavements.”

Another wrote: “This will cause additional noise on the road and an unwelcome irritant."

A third declared: “The placement of this coffee shop is ludicrous. It is already a busy junction trying to enter or leave Osier Way onto the A509.”

The site is currently ‘vacant and undeveloped’, according to a council document.

Up to 15 full-time jobs will result, says the application. Opening hours are still “unknown”.

Planning officers will now decide what becomes of the application.