Costa Coffee has submitted plans to create a cafe at the Warren Retail Park.

The British coffee chain, which has 1,375 cafes nationwide, has applied for permission to set up a new outlet by Staples off Simone Weil Avenue, Ashford.

The small unit will be about 139 sq metres by the lower car park to the rear of the Sainsbury’s petrol station (pictured below). There will also be a 42 sq metres outdoor seating area.

In the planning statement a Savills spokesman said: “The market need for the proposal only arises as the retail park exists. In the absence of the retail park, there would be no market requirement for the proposed development.

“Accordingly, it is now well established that operations of the type proposed do not primarily act as destinations in their own right, rather they support the primary use of a wider existing site by offering a complementary service for existing users.”

It was added that the existing Costa Coffee store at County Square in Ashford town centre would not close as a result of this proposal.