KFC has been given the green light to open a new drive-thru on Ipswich Road.

A planning inspector has overturned a decision to refuse it by Tendring Council.

In March 2018 councillors on the planning committee turned down the planning application on the edge of Colchester ruling that the development was too close to neighbouring homes and a hotel and would cause noise nuisance.

However, KFC appealed against the decision, and a planning inspector has now overturned the council’s decision – ruling the restaurant can go ahead.

The inspector said that revised plans for the fast-food restaurant meant that unlike a 2014 scheme, which had the drive-thru and parking much closer to nearby homes, this application had taken adequate measures to reduce potential noise nuisance by re-locating these aspects.

A noise assessment submitted as part of the hearing, the inspector ruled, was accurate in that any noise would be below the current volume created by traffic along Ipswich Road.

The applicants estimated in their proposal that the restaurant would create around 45 jobs, and the inspector imposed a condition that the restaurant could only open between 6am and 11pm.

Details of the volume and noise level of the ordering system must also be agreed with TDC before the restaurant opens for business.

More to follow.