Fresh plans have been submitted to redevelop the former Laura Ashley building on Caernarfon Road in Bangor, a site that has remained vacant despite previous approval for a similar scheme.
The latest application, lodged with Cyngor Gwynedd, proposes the conversion of existing units into a drive-thru coffee shop alongside a separate food outlet, with additional parking and external alterations.
The site, located on the Caernarfon Road Industrial Estate, has long been earmarked for redevelopment. Planning permission was previously granted in 2023 to refurbish the units and introduce a drive-thru facility, but the scheme was never brought forward.
Now, developers are pushing ahead with updated proposals that would see the empty retail space brought back into use.
According to planning documents, the scheme would involve:
- A new drive-thru coffee shop
- A separate food and drink (A3) unit
- Reconfigured internal layouts and customer seating areas
- An extended car park and servicing arrangements
The building is currently vacant, having previously operated as retail space, and forms part of a wider commercial area close to the A55.
Marketing details for the site show the units have been available for sale or lease, with planning already in place for restaurant and drive-thru use, and a combined size of up to around 5,800 sq ft.
The proposed development is expected to create around 10 jobs and could operate from early morning through to late evening if approved.
The site was previously highlighted in a Bangor Aye report as being on the market following the closure of Laura Ashley, with hopes it could attract a major new occupier.
If given the green light, the latest plans would finally bring forward a scheme for a prominent gateway site on one of Bangor’s busiest commercial corridors — and add to the growing cluster of drive-thru and roadside food outlets along Caernarfon Road.
Cyngor Gwynedd will now consider the application in due course.
Image: Google Street View
