A new Starbucks may be granted permission to open in Hedge End, although concerns regarding land ownership have been brought to light.

Hargreaves Management Ltd has put forward a planning application to Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) to establish a Starbucks “coffee pod” in a section of the car park for the Wickes DIY store at Hamilton Business Park.

If approved, two parking spaces could be lost in the business park.

The planning statement noted that since Wickes was built, it has become “evident” that there are more parking spaces than needed.

Therefore, since May 2017, a refreshment stall has been set up in the western section of the car park near Hamilton Way.

The stall, waste bins, and other related items took up several parking spots.

“This has helped to address excess parking capacity, make more beneficial use of the site overall, and complement the operation of the Wickes store and other businesses in the vicinity,” the application said.

If approved, the proposal aims to replace the current refreshment stall with a single-storey building covering approximately 140 sqm. 

This development would involve small changes to the existing car park, resulting in the loss of two parking spaces.

The application said that a survey was carried out to assess the Wickes car park usage and to gain insight into the current demand related to the store. 

The findings showed that the car park will easily meet future parking needs even with a slight decrease of two parking spaces.

However, Hegde End Town Council has objected to the plans, saying there is a lack of clarity over the land ownership and how the coffee shop fits with the existing provision.

The borough council should approve or refuse the application, with the reference F/24/98415, by December 24.