Costa Coffee franchise operator is proposing a new outlet at Valley Retail Park

An application for construction of a coffee shop in a section of car park has been lodged with Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.

The application has been made by MBCC Foods (Ireland) Ltd and Harry Corry Ltd.

MBCC Foods (Ireland) operates the Costa franchise in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Costa Ireland said that it was unable to reply to a query from the Local Democracy Reporting Service due to current staffing levels.

If construction of a new outlet is given the go-ahead it will be the third Costa Coffee outlet in the vicinity. The chain already has an outlet at Longwood Retail Park. Another is located in the Abbeycentre.

In September, a planning application was made to the borough council for a new drive-through restaurant/cafe at Longwood Retail Park.

Canadian brand Tim Hortons opened a branch of the coffee and doughnut chain at Antrim Road in Glengormley in 2019.

A spokesperson for Tim Horton’s UK and Ireland told the Local Democracy Reporting Service at the time: “Unfortunately, we are unable to comment about the site in Newtownabbey.”

Coffee chain rival Starbucks has a drive-through in Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough at The Junction, Antrim.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter