New drive-thru planned for Sandbrook Park

Tuesday, 18 November 2025 15:29

By George Lythgoe

The former home of a dessert takeaway in Rochdale could soon be transformed into a drive-thru restaurant.

The empty retail unit on Sandbrook Park previously housed Pink Drips, until it shut down in early 2024. Now plans to convert the spot next to Pizza Hut into a drive-thru have been tabled by developer AIG Holdings Ltd.

Under the proposals, the empty unit off Sandbrook Way would be refurbished and have a drive-thru lane installed.

The proposed drive thru lanes would be built between the Pink Drips and Pizza Hut units and the area of the car park to the west of the site.

The potential new occupier of the unit has not been decided, with the developers intending to market the site once planning permission has been secured.

AIG Holdings Ltd believes there is a desire for more drive-thru units in the area. They feel this proposal would be the best economic use of the site going forward.

Sandbrook Park is within walking distance of Rochdale town centre and is anchored by Odeon Cinema, Pure Gym, Tenpin and Travelodge. Other eateries on the site comprise McDonalds, KFC, Subway and Pizza Hut.

Planning papers, submitted by planning agent Stantec UK Limited, read: “The unit was until recently, occupied by Pink Drips Restaurant. However, following the expiry of the lease over a year ago, the unit has since stood vacant

“Our client is therefore seeking to market the unit to prospective occupiers, and in doing so, has found significant demand for units which have capabilities for a dual restaurant and drive-thru format when compared to traditional restaurant units.

“Our client therefore wishes to accommodate these requirements in the interest of bringing the unit back into productive economic use.

“In doing so, our client also seeks to futureproof against vacancy in enabling them to accommodate both traditional restaurant uses and drive-thru format.”

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