A POPULAR coffee company's advertising plans for its recently approved drive-thru site in Maldon have been turned down.

Costa Coffee had submitted plans for a total of 12 advertisements at the approved Maldon drive-thru at the former Quest Motors site.

Plans include three fascia signs, roof letters, cut out hearts & darts, a pick me up sign, a "great coffee starts here", a pole sign, one height barrier, one exit sign, and two banner frames for the approved Costa drive-thru.

The application submitted to Maldon District Council came after plans were approved for development at the vacant Quest Motors site in Wycke Hill Business Park.

Quest Motor Group moved out of Maldon in April after nearly 100 years in the town.

Barkby Real Estate Development Limited's plans for a "mixed-use development" at the site made up of an autocentre with vehicle repair, MOT testing, showroom, car parking, and a drive-thru Costa Coffee shop were approved in October.

Barkby Real Estate's agent told councillors in October the development at Quest Motors would deliver up to 45 jobs and further jobs would be created during the construction phase.

This recent application by Costa Coffee for its new site was refused by the district council due to the number, size, designs, positions and height of the proposed advertisements.

The authority said this along with the number which would be internally illuminated and the level of illumination proposed would appear "out-of-keeping and incongruous" in their setting to the "detriment of the character and appearance" of the area.