Plans for new ‘drive-thru’ Starbucks and Burger King branches in Washington have been refused by city development chiefs.

Sunderland City Council’s planning department has blocked an application for land off Armstrong Road near the Washington B&Q store.

The planning bid, submitted earlier this year, aimed to revitalise the vacant site by erecting new single-storey coffee shop and restaurant buildings with associated parking, landscaping and infrastructure works.

As part of the plans from applicant Buccleuch Property (Beckton) Limited, around 42 parking spaces were proposed as well as electric vehicle charging spaces and cycle parking, with vehicular access proposed from Cragside Road.

During a council consultation exercise on the plan, however, objections were raised by a company described as the “owners of the Galleries Shopping Centre”.

It was argued that the development, if approved, would “demonstrate a lack of confidence in the Washington Town Centre, and some tenants may not renew their leases”.

Objectors added there were “more sequentially preferable sites available” and that the proposals would “threaten ongoing investment in Washington centre, and they would adversely impact on the vitality and viability of Washington town centre”.

After considering the planning application and assessing it against planning policies, Sunderland City Council’s planning department refused it on December 19, 2023.

Council planners acknowledged the development would “contribute to the creation of jobs and deliver infrastructure to meet identified needs”.

However, the main reason for refusal included the scheme clashing with a council policy which aims to prevent food takeaway developments in locations where the “prevalence” of childhood obesity exceeds certain limits.

The limits are linked to data from the National Child Measurement Programme and new hot food takeaways on Wearside can be refused in areas where childhood obesity is more than 21 per cent for year six pupils, those aged 10 and 11, or more than 10 per cent for reception pupils, those aged four and five.

Childhood obesity data from the Washington West ward, outlined in a council decision report, was recorded as 25.3 per cent for year six pupils.

A council report noted that “part of the proposed development would include a drive-thru facility, which given its very nature would operate with a large proportion of hot food being taken away [sic] from the premises to consume elsewhere”.

Council planners said that the proposed development would “therefore have a detrimental impact on the health of the city’s residents, given the percentage of year six pupils within the Washington West ward that are already obese”.

According to a council decision report, the applicant’s agent challenged the use of the policy and said it related to a planning class of hot food takeaways, and not ‘drive-thrus’.

However, council planners said that a “significant proportion” of the Burger King business would “operate as a drive-thru hot food takeaway”.

It was also noted that the business could “operate delivery services directly to customers, which would most likely serve customers (including school-age children) within the Washington West ward and beyond”.

While referencing previous planning decisions on similar developments across Wearside, council planners stressed that “each case must be assessed on its merits”.

A second reason for refusal was linked to the development offering “a main town centre use within an out-of-centre location, despite there being sequentially preferable sites within the designated Washington town centre”.

The council decision report said there were “three sites positioned within the designated town centre of Washington, that would be sequentially preferable to the application site”.

Sunderland City Council’s planning department added the development “failed” a required sequential test and as a result, clashed with a policy in its local plan.

Those behind the development previously claimed it would create around 50 full/part-time jobs, with 30-35 jobs linked to Burger King and up to 20 jobs linked to Starbucks.

It was also noted that future occupiers Burger King and Starbucks had their own “corporate responsibility and sustainability strategies” which aim to “support and positively contribute to local communities”.

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A planning statement submitted to the council in March, 2023, said: “The proposals represent an opportunity to complete the redevelopment of this long-term vacant development opportunity site, which when combined with the adjacent DPD Logistics Warehouse represents an investment of over £20million in the local economy by the applicant.

“The principles outlined […] would secure a high-quality fit-for-purpose development that would lead to the reuse of previously developed land in a sustainable location and provide economic growth and employment generation within the area through both construction and operational phases”.

Applicants have the right to challenge Sunderland City Council’s refusal decision by lodging an appeal with the Secretary of State.