Plans for a druve-thru coffee shop on the A1 southbound north of Grantham has been reluctantly approved by South Kesteven district councillors.

Its planning committee today spent more than two hours deliberating over the application from Motor Fuel Ltd to build the drive-through at the Toll Bar Service Station at Marston.

Councillors spoke out against the scheme, saying it wasn't needed. Many also feared closing a right turn by the A1 would cause villagers in the area to face long detours.

They also noted the dangers of the junction, which is often the scene of many accidents.

However, they agreed with an officer's recommendation, as previously reported by Nub Nub News, to back the scheme as recommended by officers.

However, they re-affirmed in the conditions that work cannot start on the scheme until the required mitigation had taken place.

Earlier, before members overwhelmingly voted to approve the scheme, with the condition that the right-turn is closed, planning staff warned of the consequences of refusal.

They said the developer could use an earlier planning approval, granted in 2018, to build a much more 'intensive' service station scheme.

With Lincolnshire County Council and Highways England not opposing the application, SKDC would be 'alone' in defending it at any appeal and might be unable to get highways experts to defend it at a hearing, planning staff warned.