A Costa Coffee is to be built in Stonehouse following a planning appeal.

Stroud District Council had refused planning permission last year but the drive-through shop will now be built at Stonehouse Park after all.

An appeal to the Secretary of State was granted yesterday.

Inspector Helen O’Connor said in her report: “The proposal would be an appropriate location for the development and would constitute a complementary ancillary use to the surrounding key employment sites.

“The proposal would not lead to significant impacts on the transport networks in terms of capacity and congestion.”

As well as the shop there will be 32 parking spacesalong with a separate 42-space car park for nearby engineering company Sartorius Stedim.

The scheme is the latest phase of a development by Robert Hitchins Ltd.

Senior development manager, Michael Plimmer, said the application had received a lot of local support from the business community.

“This is the last piece of the jigsaw at Stonehouse Park. From what is a fairly small, awkward-shaped site we are delighted to have been able to design a scheme with a high-quality coffee shop that will provide a much-needed facility and meeting place for the surrounding business parks, together with an important car parking facility for local employer Sartorius to assist with their future growth needs.”

A Stroud District Council spokesperson said: “We are disappointed that the inspector did not dismiss the appeal and protect this important employment land for the future economic wellbeing of the district.”