PLANS have been submitted to convert a restaurant at a busy retail and leisure park into a new Taco Bell restaurants.

The application, if approved, would see the Bella Italia restaurant at Centre 27 Business Park in Birstall become a Taco Bell, and have a drive through extension built.

It would join KFC, McDonald’s, Krispy Kreme, a new Tim Horton’s, Chiquito, Frankie & Benny’s, Nando’s, Starbucks, Zizzi, Pizza Express, Caffe Nero, Costa and TGI Friday at the sprawling retail park by Junction 27 of the M62.

The plans would see a drive-through built, changes to parking and refurbishments to the inside and outside of the former Italian restaurant.

The application states 35 jobs - 15 full-time and 20 part-time - would be created by the development, and its proposed opening hours would be 10am to 11pm seven days a week.

One local resident has objected to the plans so far, citing issues with traffic which is already “carnage” at times.

They said: “I object strongly to another drive thru being placed next door to KFC.

“There is only one road leading to Smyths toy store, KFC, Chiquito and Frankie and Bennys (which are both still trading) the traffic queues for KFC alone can cause carnage for traffic coming in and out and a further drive thru will massively impact this further and have concerns for safety.

“There is just not enough room to let a flow of traffic in and out of the tiny road it’s on.

“This will also hugely impact guests trying to enter the joint Chiquito and Frankie and Bennys car park as guests queuing for drive thru can tail back up to round about.”

The busy retail and leisure parks around Junction 27 cause long queues and tailbacks on the roads around Birstall, particularly at peak times and on weekends, with cars often queuing around Gelderd Road’s roundabout to access the fast food outlets and drive-thru services on the south-side of the area.

The former Pizza Hut restaurant at Birstall is set to become a Tim Horton’s fast food restaurant, a chain popular in Canada, and plans are also set to go in for a new Lidl supermarket and Home Bargains store at the site.