A FAST FOOD franchise's plans for a drive-through at Bendigo's old Pizza Hut site would not compromise traffic flows through the busy area, the City of Greater Bendigo has been told.
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A developer wants the council's permission to transform the idle High Street site into a Guzman y Gomez food venue.
The Mexican restaurant could serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee and dessert, the developer has told the council in newly lodged plans at the council's planning department.
They want a single storey venue with a kitchen area, seating space for 54 people, a loading dock and some landscaping.
The council is expected to take some time to consider the plans, including a proposal that would slash car parking on site from 24 to 14.
Traffic consultants employed by the developer say that change would be justified.
They estimate 16 cars will likely park on site at any one time during the restaurant's busiest periods - in the evening on weekdays - and only 11 on the weekends, the consultants said in a report submitted to the council.
That estimate is based largely on demand for Guzman y Gomez's restaurant across town in Kennington.
Even if there are not enough spaces at dinner time, there would be plenty of space on-street as a host of nearby businesses would be closed, the traffic consultants believe.
Surrounding streets would be able to handle the estimated 120 cars going in or out via High Street and Violet Street on busy evenings, they said in their report.
That would include customers in the drive through, which the old Pizza Hut never had.
But the developers' traffic experts have suggested a drive-through might not be much of a departure from the sort of demand Pizza Hut once had for take-away food.
They have not offered data on the demand Pizza Hut once had, though.
The drive-through would snake for 50 metres around the restaurant and the site. There is plenty of space for cars to queue without spilling out onto nearby streets, the developer has told the council.
Their traffic consultants have nevertheless recommended new rules for the crossover connecting the site with High Street.
Cars should only be able to turn left in and out, the consultants believe. The best way to enforce that would be to add a traffic island at the crossover, line markings and signs.
The developers' noise experts have run acoustic tests across the site.
They have a number of ideas to cut down on disruption to neighbours including screenings and a fence along some areas that hug the drive-through's path.
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