Plans for 12 advertising signs at the upcoming Costa Coffee drive-thru on the former Quest Motors site in Maldon have been refused by the district council.

Costa had hoped to install three illuminated fascia signs, letters to go on the roof of the building, cut out hearts and darts, a height barrier, a pole sign, an exit sign and two banner frames at the site of its new branch in Maldon.

It also sought approval to add illuminated signs reading "pick me up" and "great coffee starts here" to the building.

A statement by Sara Dryhurst-Roberts, from agent Savills, said: "The signs are used at a number of existing Costa drive-thrus nationwide and have been proven to be of high quality and to pose no threat to public safety.

"Likewise the sign manufacturers are used nationally by Costa and are well-recognised for providing good quality signs.

"Illumination will be internal and static in order to ensure that it does not distract vehicles."

She added: "The area is characterised by a large amount of similar signage that the proposals will be seen in the context of."

However, district council planning officers said that while "no harm to public safety would be caused" by the signs, they would "cause material harm to amenity".

Refusing the plans, they said: "The proposed advertisements, given their number, size, design, positions and height, along with the number which would be internally illuminated and the level of illumination proposed, would appear out-of-keeping and incongruous in their setting to the detriment of the character and appearance of the area."

The new Costa drive-thru is set to be built on Wycke Hill Business Park as part of the major redevelopment of the former Quest Motors site, which closed its Maldon branch in May after trading in the town for almost a century.

The site, which is being developed by Barkby Real Estate, will also include an autocentre with vehicle repair, MOT testing, a showroom and car parking.

Maldon Town Council had previously recommended refusal of Costa's advertising plans for the site, saying "the excessive amount of proposed signage would result in visual and illuminated clutter and overdevelopment".