Land has been cleared and warehouse buildings demolished to make way for a town’s fourth Costa Coffee shop.

The distinctive blue structures on the approach into Dover have vanished, leaving bare land to make way for the development.

Planning permission is already in place for the new venue, which will also feature a drive-thru, on the A20 Snargate Street, Dover.

It is expected to open towards the end of the year.

But the town already has three main public cafés while there are another two stands within the Port of Dover at the Eastern Docks ferry terminal.

There are shops in the town centre in Biggin Street, a unit of its own in St James’ Retail and Leisure Park with another also at that location inside the Next clothes and homeware store.

Several other businesses, such as garages and supermarkets, sell takeaway cups of the brand’s brew too, including the BP garage just metres away from the new branch.

The development at Snargate Street, on a half-an-acre site, will comprise of an 1,800sq ft building for Costa Coffee with 19 car spaces and six car parking bays for the Fastned operated EV (electrical vehicle) fast charging station.

Tom Hurst, a UK manager for Fastned said, “Once up and running, our charging hub at Dover is perfectly located for electric vehicle drivers getting to and from the continent by car, making it so much easier to drive to France and beyond. And it seamlessly connects with our European charging network.”

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

A spokesperson for Costa said: “We are thrilled to be opening a new drive-thru Costa Coffee store on Snargate Street, Dover, and look forward to welcoming customers and the local community at the store towards the end of this year.”

The development is part of a waterfront regeneration scheme, which also involves the Port of Dover authority’s continuing £250 million Dover Western Docks Revival.

That has included the opening of the Marina Pier and Cargo Terminal West in 2019.

Meanwhile, earlier this week McDonald’s revealed plans to build a branch on the former leisure centre site on the corner of Woolcomber Street and the A20 Townwall Street.

It will see the fast food giant’s return to the town after shutting its high street outlet in 2017.