ANDOVER could be set for its first drive-through coffee unit and its tenth major supermarket store.

Developers Kier recently submitted initial plans to Test Valley Borough Council to build on an undeveloped plot on Walworth Business Park.

The application is proposing retail development including a food store, drive-through coffee unit and two smaller units.

When asked to clarify what this may mean for the town, a spokesman from Kier confirmed that “subject to planning, there will be a coffee drive-through outlet, and that the food store refers to a supermarket”.

The 1.5ha site could see its first ever drive-through coffee unit, similar to Costa's, based at Solstice Park in Amesbury.

This could also mean the town’s tenth major supermarket.

Andover already has six of the giant food retailers within the town – Asda, Lidl, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and Iceland.

Another three lie just outside the town centre including another Sainsbury’s store, Tesco Extra and Aldi.

Supermarket giant Morrisons is the only retailer not to have store in town.

But when asked by the Advertiser if they would consider opening in Andover, a spokesperson for Morrisons said it was too early to make a comment.

Andover Town Council’s planning committee recently discussed the proposal but said the plans were at too early a stage for them to make an official comment.

Reaction to the plans were mixed with some councillors praising plans to use the land while others seemed unhappy, stating the business park was not meant for retail development.

The proposal has not even reached the stages of becoming an outline planning application, and is only looking to establish whether an environmental impact assessment will be needed.

In an email sent early last week, Neil Adam, senior archaeologist, stated “the site is located in an area of good archaeological potential.”

He advised the assessment would not be needed on the basis of archaeology but recommended a heritage statement should accompany any future plans so as to address as yet unrecorded archaeological features.