Plans for a coffee shop with a drive through outside Stonehouse have been rejected.

The coffee shop would have been built at an unused plot of land in Stonehouse Business Park, just off of the A419.

But planners in Stroud rejected the proposal last week, citing the need to protect the Park for certain kinds of businesses.

Stonehouse Business Park is one of Stroud District Council’s “strategic employment sites”, meaning the space must be kept for uses like offices or manufacturing.

Plans for the coffee shop had been submitted by developers Robert Hitchins Ltd earlier this year and the company argued that the “narrow, awkward triangular shaped plot” made it inappropriate for providing the kind of jobs the council had in mind.

Robert Hitchins Ltd also pointed out that the coffee shop would “employ 18 full/part time jobs” itself and improve the attractiveness of the Park for existing employees.

Some businesses already at the Park had welcomed the plans, which also included extra parking spots aside from those for people getting coffee.

“An additional secure 42 space car park will enable use to properly accommodate increase in staff numbers and customers,” commented one nearby business recently granted planning permission for an extension.

Another agreed with the developer that a coffee shop would make the Park a better place to work.

In an email to the council they wrote: “There is a noticeable shortage of facilities within the area providing opportunities for refreshments etc for workers and visitors, therefore an opportunity to have a local coffee shop with a drive through facility would be most welcome.”

But the council’s planning team were unconvinced - they pointed to the drive through in particular as evidence the coffee shop was not primarily meant for Park employees.

“The presence of the drive thru facility and 32 parking spaces for the coffee shop confirms that the primary purpose of the facility is to provide refreshments for motorists using the A419,” the team concluded.

Concerns about motorists were also raised by Stonehouse council.

“Stonehouse Town Council objects to this development proposal as it will lead to an unacceptable increase in traffic on the already busy Oldends Lane roundabout which is also a difficult crossing point for National Cycle Route 45,” it said.

“Stonehouse Town Council do not object to a coffee shop at this location but do object to a drive through coffee shop.”