• Tenth Dunkin’ Donuts location to create 25 jobs

• ‘Immediate start’ once planning approval gained

• Last developer rejected for Saunders Beach site

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A Bahamian fast food franchise yesterday revealed it aims to create 25 jobs through a $1.5m expansion into its tenth New Providence location after all planning approvals are obtained.

Linda Myers, president of Bahamas QSR Ltd, told Tribune Business that construction “will start immediately” once site plan approval and other relevant permissions are granted for a proposed Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant on West Bay Street at the eastern end of Saunders Beach.

A briefing paper for the Town Planning Committee, which has “deferred” its decision on giving the go-ahead prior to a public consultation on January 25, reveals that another developer’s plans to establish a restaurant and bar at the same location - the corner formed by the West Bay Street and Ferguson Road junction - were rejected in 2022.

However, it added that the Department of Physical Planning “has no objection in principle” to Dunkin’ Donuts plans for the site as the Ministry of Works will provide “guidance in navigating” any negative impact on residents in the Perpall Tract area from the increase in vehicle traffic.

Ms Myers, when contacted by this newspaper, confirmed that Dunkin’ Donuts’ latest location will create 25 jobs if it proceeds and be a combined walk-in/drive through restaurant. “It would be a $1.5m investment give or take,” she said. “Probably a give.”

Asked what attracted the franchise, known globally for its donuts and coffee, to the site, Ms Myers pointed to its strategic positioning on one of the busiest road corridors going into and leaving downtown Nassau plus the proximity to a nearby mall and Saunders Beach businesses that include other fast-food restaurants such as Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Burger King and Pizza Hut.

Confident that passing traffic and nearby residents will provide a substantial customer base, she said of the location: “It just spoke to me. It was just sitting there all alone. I just thought we’d give it a go. It’s been since July, six months, that we’ve been working on this.”

While the Dunkin’ Donuts franchise has “no specific numbers” for estimating likely customer footfall, Ms Myers added: “Generally we would do a traffic study but we have other businesses in the vicinity... It’s a brand new location. We expect it to be as busy, or hopefully more busy” than the others.

Asked how quickly construction work would begin once the relevant planning approvals are in place, she replied: “We would start immediately.” The new location would be the tenth Dunkin’ Donuts outlet in Nassau, joining the three at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) plus sites in downtown Nassau opposite the British Colonial, Bernard Road, Carmichael Road, Palmdale, East Street and Paradise Island.

John Davis, the Department of Physical Planning’s superintendent, in his November 7, 2023, briefing for the Town Planning Committee confirmed that the site met all the necessary commercial zoning requirements. He indicated that the only potential concern was the increase in vehicle traffic created by Dunkin’ Donuts and its impact on nearby residential communities, but hinted this can be mitigated.

However, the “prominent” nature of the site and need to comply with the Planning and Subdivision Act’s legal requirements meant that restaurant chain’s site application for site plan ‘approval in principle’ has been deferred until after the January 25 public consultation hearing.

“The applicant is seeking planning permission for the construction of a fast-food restaurant on the referenced property,” Mr Davis told the Committee. “The lot measures 119 feet by 112 feet (12,516 square feet) and is zoned for commercial use.

“In 2003, planning approval was granted for the construction of a three-storey building on the site. The application was under the name of Jack Isaacs. The building was to be approximately 10,000 square feet with parking provided for 22 vehicles. The current proposal is for an approximately 1,400 square foot single storey prototypical structure similar to the Wendy’s at East Street and Wulff Road.”

Pointing out that the intended land use was compatible with much of the nearby Saunders Beach area, Mr Davis added: “The surrounding area has a mixture of commercial uses including Pizza Hut, Burger King and KFC.

“Renal House Kidney Dialysis Centre and Silver Cay apartments are to the north and west of the site respectively. To the south of the site are a mixture of residential communities including Sandrina Gardens and Ferguson Manor subdivisions.”

Mr Davis, suggesting that Dunkin’ Donuts’ proposal has more merit than the previous developer’s, then said: “In 2022, an application for a restaurant and bar was refused for the same site. However, the concept was problematic and would have created a traffic nuisance and disrupt the tranquility of the residential communities.

“The current proposal will operate similar to existing Dunkin Donuts’ locations, with the most likely disruption occurring from drive-through patrons of the establishment. The civil design section of the Ministry of Public Works are to provide guidance in navigating the potential negative vehicular traffic impact.

“While the Department [of Physical Planning] has no objection in principle to the proposed use, the residents of the areas should be consulted as the site is prominent and any development approval should be seen to have occurred within the guidelines of the Planning and Subdivisions Act.”