Fresh update on new South Shields Starbucks drive-thru creating 40 jobs – but there are fears for kids' safety

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has approved an application for new signage at the development under construction off Claypath Lane and Crossgate in South Shields.

The town centre site once housed an office block which was later demolished, and the land was left vacant for several years.

Back in 2023, the council’s planning department approved plans for business units and a Starbucks drive-thru on the site, despite traffic and air pollution concerns from objectors.

During a council consultation exercise on the plans, eight objections were received with the majority linked to parents of children who attend St Bede’s Catholic Primary and Nursery School.

Concerns included the suitability of the site for the development, increased traffic and footfall, noise disruption and potential child safeguarding issues for the school.

The local authority also received a letter of representation from the vice-chair of governors of St Bede’s Catholic Primary School raising concerns about the proposed access to the development as well as traffic-related air pollution impacts.

Councillor David Francis, one of the ward representatives for Beacon and Bents, submitted a statement raising concerns about highway safety, the development’s close proximity to a school and associated air quality impacts from “idling vehicles”.

In addition, the council’s public health department did not support the planning application in terms of the “impact of additional vehicle trips and the potential for a reduction in the air quality impacting on young children at the primary school opposite.”

Despite the objections, South Tyneside Council’s planning department approved the planning application on August 9, 2023.

Those behind the scheme previously said the development represented an investment of around £3 million and would create up to 40 jobs.

At the time of writing (October 1, 2025) work was still under way at the site with the structures of the business units and Starbucks drive-thru in place.

A new application from Starbucks Coffee Co to council planners, submitted earlier this year (2025), sought permission for a large number of signs for its proposed drive-thru unit.

This included “directional signs”, an “order canopy”, a height restrictor, a “building-mounted illuminated roundel”, menu board signs and more.

During the planning application process, the signage application was amended to remove two adverts following “highways safety concerns”, planning documents state.

The final scheme, which was approved by the council’s planning department on September 22, 2025, included advertisement consent for signage for the proposed Starbucks unit.

Council planners, in a decision report, said “the proposals have been appropriately designed in terms of colour and materials and would not look out of place or be unduly prominent” and that the “effect on the character and appearance of the area would be negligible”.

The council decision report added: “In terms of public safety, the proposals are satisfactorily located and are not therefore considered to present a hazard for pedestrians or cause a distraction to passing motorists.

“The local highway authority have been consulted on the application and raised no objections or comments on this amended scheme.”

Back in May, 2025, developers announced that the site situated off Claypath Lane would feature four retail units, including a drive-thru Starbucks, a Greggs branch, and Indigo Sun Retail, alongside eight electric vehicle charging stations.

It was noted that the construction phase of the project is expected to take around nine months to complete.

For more information on the recent planning application for the site, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 250425

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