Drive-thru diner for mystery food chain approved

Plans have been approved to open a drive-thru restaurant on a busy route into the centre of Bradford.

The new 82-cover restaurant will be built off Thornton Road, next to a new Starbucks drive-thru that is due to open later this year.

Details of which business will be taking it on have yet to be revealed, but the application said it would be a new branch for a "successful Bradford-based food and restaurant business known for running fast food and casual dining outlets".

The application, by Mi7 Developments, was given the green light by Bradford Council, with planners saying it will "have a beneficial effect on the local economy".

The large site on Thornton Road is already undergoing some major developments, with a new low-carbon energy centre under construction, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The application for the drive-thru said the business would help "establish a vibrant food destination along Thornton Road".

Referring to the unnamed business, it said: "The company currently operates around 15 outlets and plans to expand nationally with an additional 20 to 30 new units expected to open later this year.

"This proposal is designed to celebrate their identity in a prominent Bradford location."

Noting the site had been vacant for "many years", planning officers said: "(The development) would have a beneficial effect on the local economy.

"The size of the unit and the nature of the type of business means that the development will provide a number of jobs that will contribute to the growth of the local economy."

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