Starbucks to open second coffee shop in Mansfield after long planning saga
Coffee giant Starbucks will soon be opening its second shop in Mansfield after a long battle for planning permission was finally won.
And in another town-centre shopping development, the store formerly occupied by the Compliments hair and beauty salon on Newgate Lane looks set to be brought to life again.
The Starbucks saga goes back to the summer of 2024 when a planning application was first submitted to Mansfield District Council for the old Floors 2 Go store on Lime Tree Place, off Ratcliffe Gate.
The building has been empty and boarded up since the store closed about a decade ago, and part of the site, by St Peter’s Way, has been used as a pay-and-display car park.
Starbucks’ proposal is to demolish most of the eyesore warehouse and build two commercial retail units, one of which will be a drive-through coffee shop and the other probably an orthodox cafe, restaurant or convenience store.
The scheme also includes 16 electric vehicle (EV) charging bays, parking for cars and cycles, and waste storage.
It has taken almost two years to gain approval because the council’s planning officers had to examine both the benefits and the potential problems posed by the project.
For example, the site sits within a flood zone and close to numerous heritage assets within the Bridge Street Conservation Area.
Also, Nottinghamshire County Council initially objected to the scheme on highway safety grounds.
But in the end, the county council lifted its opposition after changes were made, while Mansfield’s conservation officer raised no objections and flooding fears were dismissed as “very low risk” .
Now, Mansfield Council has given the go-ahead, with a raft of conditions attached. It is not yet known when Starbucks expects to open the shop, but it would be only its second in Mansfield, complementing the current outlet within the Four Seasons Shopping Centre.
The planning application was submitted by the Bradford-based developer Metalcraft Projects Ltd, which owns the Lime Tree Place site.
In a statement sent to the council, Metalcraft said: “This proposal represents a significant investment within the local area.
"It will generate a number of job opportunities for local people, in line with policy objectives aimed at supporting economic growth.
"The site comprises previously developed land, occupying a highly accessible location to the south-east of Mansfield town centre and, therefore, represents an entirely appropriate place for new development.”
Given that the site is within Mansfield’s Riverside regeneration area and sits on a prominent junction that has been derelict for some time, the district council agreed.
An officer said: “There are clear and material economic and urban regeneration benefits to bringing this long-standing, vacant site back into use.”
Meanwhile, the scheme to revive the shop on Newgate Lane has been revealed in a planning application to build a single-storey extension at the back to increase the floor space.
It has been submitted by Kamaljeet Singh who, according to planning papers, wants to “use the premises as a shop for general sales but needs an increased sales area”.
The building has been empty since the Compliments salon closed in mid-2025. Mr Singh proposes no changes to the frontage, but his plan does include an amended rear access to two flats above the shop.
The council’s planning officers are currently considering the proposal and have set a deadline date of Friday, April 3 for a decision or recommendation.
THE details of many planning applications can be found in public notices advertised by local and regional newspapers. To catch up on all the latest public notices, go to https://publicnoticeportal.uk/