McDonald's and Starbucks plan new Swindon drive-thrus

This will include a new McDonald's and Starbucks - both with a drive-thru - and commercial units for other businesses, as well as parking spaces and landscaping. 

The new mini-retail park, revealed in a planning application to Swindon Borough Council from property development company Fortitudo Limited, is earmarked for land to the south of the A420 and west of Laines Way in Symmetry Park. 

The site of the proposed development spans an area of hardstanding that was cleared in 2017 and a lower south section of agricultural area, both of which are now in an unmanaged state. 

The proposed location for a new McDonald's and Starbucks in Swindon's Symmetry Park (Image: Swindon Borough Council)In the design and access statement for the development, Fortitudo Limited said: "The site is strategically located with the entirety of Symmetry Park area, along with the Wiltshire Police Headquarters, Marston Farm, the employment developments at South Marston, Margarets Retail Park, Sainsbury’s store and residential area of Coleview adjacent to White Hart Roundabout.

"The development will therefore cater to the significant employment developments within close proximity.

"In the future, the development will also cater to the New Eastern Villages (NEV) development to the immediate south and west of the site. "

The proposed site layout (Image: Swindon Borough Council)

Street scenes for the proposed McDonald's and Starbucks in Swindon's Symmetry Park (Image: Swindon Borough Council)

The McDonald’s drive-thru has been positioned on the north of the site, which will provide an active frontage to both the A420 and Laines Way.

An outdoor seating area will be positioned on this corner. 

The Starbucks is located centrally within the site, located adjoining the access road into the area. 

To the south of this will be the industrial units, which will be set back from Laines Way, but with parking and landscaping in front. 

"We consider this provides an optimum high-quality layout that takes account of the site-specific constraints and opportunities, appropriately addressing the wider context of the area," Fortitudo said. 

Plans for a new McDonald's in Swindon (Image: Swindon Borough Council)

A new Starbucks proposed for Swindon (Image: Swindon Borough Council)According to the plans, the McDonald's will be 355 sqm and the Starbucks will be 170 sqm, while the commercial units will total 465 sqm. 

There will be 56 parking spaces, three waiting bays and eight cycle parking spaces per restaurant. 

32 per cent of the spaces will also have electric vehicle charging. 

Fortitudo concludes: "The application site remains an undeveloped site within Symmetry Park.

"The site is identified for development in the New Eastern Villages development (NEV) to form part of the district centre, within Great Stall West.

"The proposals are to develop a Drive Thru Restaurant, Drive Thru Coffee Shop, and industrial units for B1/B2/B8 uses.

"These are all uses identified as acceptable by the masterplan in the District Centre, and its considered are appropriately located on the edge of the district centre in close proximity to the road network."