A Canadian coffee and restaurant chain has lodged plans for its latest venture at a former tea factory in Speke.
Almost two years ago, planning permission was granted for a new supermarket on land at Speke Hall Road with outline terms sought for a drive-thru coffee shop and restaurant. After a new Aldi store opened on the plot last year, a supplementary application has been lodged with Liverpool Council for a new Tim Hortons facility next door.
In a bid to open up its third regional site, applicant Williams Gallagher on behalf of Tim Hortons, has lodged the application on the 2.4 hectare plot of land previously occupied by a tea factory. Until Aldi opened its doors in July last year, the site had been vacant since 2002.
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The plans would also include a drive-thru provision and associated 46 car parking spaces, plus electric vehicle charging points. The Tim Hortons brand was founded in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
It has since grown into Canada’s most loved brand with more than 4,500 stores. According to Williams Gallagher’s planning statement, a unit of required size would be situated on the southern end of the site.
A second drive-thru restaurant could also be developed, according to the planning document, but the occupier of an additional plot is not yet known. The report said: “Both units will be single storey, with the lower land levels reducing the visual impact of the buildings on the street scene.
“The change in levels will also reduce the visual impact of the drive-thru lanes. The materials and colours proposed will complement the Aldi unit, using similar materials but different colour palettes to emphasise the variety of uses on the site.”
In preparation for the creation of the new supermarket, demolitions, remediation and ground works relating to the former tea factory were carried out in November 2020. High costs of maintaining the site led to it remaining vacant for two decades, according to Aldi bosses when they sought planning permission almost two years ago.
A date for the plans to be considered by Liverpool Council’s planning department has not been established. Comments can be made on the application online until June 6.
Tim Hortons branches on Great Homer Street and Aintree Retail Park are to open in due course.
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