Plans for Starbucks and Burger King drive-thrus in Widnes have been thrown out over road safety fears.

Halton Council’s development management committee had been recommended to rubber stamp an application for the two units on the car park of Green Oaks Shopping Park when they met last night.

But all but one went against officers' recommendations and voted against the plans, citing concerns over traffic leaving the site - with the current road situation already being branded ‘dangerous’ by the committee’s chairman.

The proposals by AIM Land Limited had been due for approval last month but chiefs deferred a decision for a site visit.

During last night's meeting at Runcorn Town Hall, ward councillor Angela Teeling spoke at length and urged the committee to reject the scheme, citing – among other reasons - parking, traffic, litter, public health and impact on local businesses.

She said: "There's no demonstrable need for either of these fast food or coffee drive thrus within the area, there are already a cluster of cafés, restaurants, coffee shops and takeaways."

If approved, vehicles leaving the drive-thrus would have had to merge onto Green Oaks Way along with Morrisons, town centre and market traffic. Despite the council’s highway officer citing no objections, councillors were wary of the impact of more vehicles.

Committee member Cllr Rob Polhill, said: “Morrisons is busy car par but there's one entrance in and one entrance out, and that's going to serve Morrisons and these two fast food units."

Committee chairman Stan Hill added: "We live here and use this entrance every day. It’s dangerous."

Cllr Ged Philbin also raised concerns over consultation, stating that he had been to see market stall holders and town centre businesses who said they had not been  told about the development, with many only reading about it recently on social media. A claim repeated earlier by Cllr Teeling.  But officers said the appropriate statutory consultation had been carried out.

The committee was warned by officers that the applicant may win an appeal and that the cost of losing would be incurred by the council. Outline planning application already exists for the site after being granted last year for a more generic scheme with fewer details or end users named at the time.

But last night's vote means the full planning application has now been rejected, with all members of the nine person committee except Cllr Bill Woolfall voting against it.