BLACKBURN’S Euro-Garages has applied to build a drive-thru coffee shop at Asda’s Colne supermarket creating 15 jobs.

The new unit will be located between the main store and its petrol station on the town’s Swinden Retail Park, off Corporation Street.

It is the latest development in the partnership between the petrol forecourt company, founded in 2001 by Blackburn brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa, and the supermarket chain.

The 200 square metre coffee shop will have 25 car parking spaces and a servicing area.

A spokesman for EG Group, Euro-Garages' parent company headquartered at the Beehive Trading Park in Blackburn’s Haslingden Road, said: “This development will create 15 jobs and is currently scheduled for completion in 2021.”

He said a partner had been identified but declined to name the company or discuss the cost of the new unit.

Colne Liberal Democrat councillor Lord Tony Greaves said he could see no objections to the planning application submitted to Pendle Council by Euro-Garages.

A supporting statement for the scheme, close to the eastern end of the M65 and visible from the A56 from Colne to Nelson, prepared by Inspire Planning Solutions, says: “In 2019 Euro Garages partnered with Asda Stores Ltd to deliver an enhanced customer experience at 30 Asda sites.

“The application site is a small area of the existing car park of the Asda supermarket in Colne, accessed off Corporation Street, and would be situated adjacent to the existing Asda Petrol Filling Station on the site.

“The proposed development for the construction of a new coffee shop drive-thru is a specific type of retail which is aimed primarily to provide an enhanced service to roadside service offer for motorists including existing customers visiting this location. The roadside service model requires a visible roadside presence that has a high volume of passing traffic and/or locations next to established retail/ leisure destinations.

“Euro-Garages operate in excess of 500 petrol stations/ roadside services across the UK, of which not a single one is located within a town centre.

“The majority of these are located outside of any type of centre with a handful being within retail parks.

“On this basis, the proposed development is more suited to an out-of-town location as opposed to a district or local centre.”

Waterside ward’s Lord Greaves said: “This is situated in the middle of a retail estate. There are no residents who will be affected. I have no objections to the proposal.”