An American fast-food giant has launched a bid to open a drive-thru on the site of a former sewage-treatment facility.

Firm Glenbeigh Development has struck a deal with Taco Bell for it to move onto its 3.5-acre plot off Sturry Road, Canterbury – little more than a stone’s throw away from rivals McDonald’s and KFC.

Bosses from the construction firm predict the Mexican-inspired restaurant could open before the end of the year, having lodged plans with the city council a fortnight ago.

Despite its proximity to two other major chains, Glenbeigh director Colin Whelan thinks it will prove a hit with customers.

“It’s a completely different offer, isn’t it?” he said. “It’s not KFC, it’s not McDonald’s – Taco Bell is probably in line with the changing tastes that the public are looking for.

“They do a lot of research on where their target market should be.

“Through Covid, people have been looking for a greater choice of drive-thru facilities where they can remain in their cars and not have that social contact.”

Mr Whelan started negotiations with Taco Bell last year for what will be the global chain’s fourth Kent restaurant.

The first opened in Chatham, followed by a second in Crayford, near Dartford, just four months ago. Just weeks ago the chain revealed it will also be launching at the site of a former Bill's restaurant in Maidstone.

The firm secured a space on the Canterbury plot, which used to be part of Southern Water’s sewage works, ahead of a handful of other outlets.

The eatery – which will serve an array of tacos, burritos, quesadillas and nachos – will be one of seven units making up a brand-new trade park on the outskirts of the city.

In all, the development is expected to create up to 50 jobs and will be equipped with 96 parking spaces.

Mr Whelan continued: “Taco Bell are very well-funded, forward-looking and very aggressive in their rollout campaigns.

“In the run up to choosing an operator, they presented the best opportunity in terms of not being represented in Canterbury as yet.”

Plans to transform the wasteland, which has become increasingly unsightly in recent years, have been in the pipeline for more than a decade.

Glenbeigh first launched a bid to build the trade park in 2009.

And this week, Canterbury City Council gave the go-ahead to modified plans to house national firm Storage King in one of the buildings.

Mr Whelan expects diggers to move onto the plot in July to start laying the foundations of the self-storage centre.

“There will also be five trade counter units,” he added.

“They, along with the Taco Bell, will be delivered through the course of the year, as soon as we get planning.

“I would think the Taco Bell will be open by the end of the year, and if not, it’ll be January, February.”

Announcements on the occupiers of the trade counter units are expected to be made over the next two months.

Mr Whelan had originally intended on launching a car showroom on the site, but scrapped those plans following a slump in the motor industry, made worse by the pandemic.