Locals horrified as historic pub to be turned into a drive-thru Greggs

A historic pub is set to be demolished and replaced with a drive-thru Greggs . A planning application to knock down the vacant pub situated in a town in Greater Manchester was approved in spite of concerns over increased traffic and fewer healthy food options. The application was given the green light at a planning group meeting on Friday, September 29, despite opposition from some councillors and objections from residents. Greene King applied for planning permission on the site of the Farmers Arms that currently lies vacant in Cheadle Heath. The proposed entrance to the new Greggs drive-thru and car park will be just across the road from a primary school, the Manchester Evening News reports. Greggs opened it’s first drive-thru in Wales (Image: Jonathan Myers/Walesonline) Letters sent by 64 residents were noted in a report objecting to the change with concerns ranging from fears about the impact of extra traffic and a lack of healthy food options in the area. Despite plans for a 24-space car park, a traffic survey carried out at a comparable site found that the “worst case scenario” would mean five cars queuing for the drive-thru at peak times with “no impact to the free flow of traffic”. A planning officer also clarified that the restaurant cannot be classified as fast food, because Greggs has a range of hot and cold food options, and warm items are not cooked on-site. However, Stockport’s director of public health warned in the report that the site will serve “predominantly high-calorie food of low nutritional value”. Cllr Wendy Meikle from Stockport Lib Dems has opposed the application. The former Farmers Arms pub is opposite a primary school (Image: Manchester Evening News) She said: “I am on the side of the 64 objectors. They talked about congestion, the effect on health, that the building is a landmark, and in my opinion, Greggs is a fast food takeout and not a restaurant. “The drive-thru is not encouraging people to walk and if the development is permitted it would have a detrimental effect on health locally. I know you have had the traffic survey to put our minds at rest, but I can not support this application.” A resident who wrote to the committee said: “If there is now a drive-thru the traffic will only get worse. People eating while leaving the drive-thru won’t pay proper attention to the children, terrible accidents are basically prone to happen.” Another added: “The current building and site’s historical use as a public house dates back to the late 19th century. The Farmers Arms pub is recorded in a historical photo showing its position at the toll gate, at the key junction of Stockport Road and Edgeley Road. “It is disappointing that no other viable uses have been identified or explored in detail that seek to retain and re-develop the existing building and significant site.” Councillor Steve Gribbon, chair of the planning committee, said: “I know the area well enough and I don’t like the idea of this, but we have to look at the material considerations of the application.” Greggs was contacted for comment by the Manchester Evening News.