The firm, which has a proven track record of managing the design, planning and build of commercial and residential developments, has seen an increase in the number of sites it has made offers on across Scotland in the last year, particularly for drive-thru and roadside retail developments.

The announcement follows the opening of its £2m development of Costa Coffee’s second drive-thru in Aberdeen this week. The Tullos outlet, on the corner of Abbotswell Road and Wellington Road, is the city’s largest Costa Coffee with seating for up to 94 people and parking for 34 cars. The new outlet has created jobs for up to 20 people.

Iftikar Mian, director of West Coast Estates, said: “It’s fantastic to see the new Costa Coffee drive-thru open for business. The development offers greater choice and convenience to people working and living in the area and received widespread support.

“The demand for ever more convenient living and the use of technology in retailing is fuelling an increase in drive-thru and roadside developments. We are seeing both existing coffee and fast food chains expanding the number of drive-thrus they have as well as new players entering the marketplace. Drive-thrus are no longer only available in our cities but are cropping up in towns throughout Scotland.

“We have seen a significant increase in the number of sites we are assessing for potential development and are working closely with our partners to identify further opportunities for this expanding market.”

West Coast Estates has delivered roadside developments for several high street brands including Sainsbury’s, Co-op and Dominos Pizzas throughout Scotland - from the Highlands to the Central Belt. They are particularly focused on identifying sites of between 0.5 and 2.5 acres for roadside and retail.

The Costa Coffee development involved the demolition of a vacant office block that had lain empty for two years and the construction of the new retail until. The 16-week construction programme was undertaken by contractor MTM.

Tom Swords, acquisition manager at Costa Coffee, added: “We’re really excited to have opened a new drive-thru store in Aberdeen, creating 18-20 new jobs for the local area and bringing great coffee to customers when they need it the most. This is our second drive-thru location in the city and, as with all of our openings, we look forward to being an integral part of the local community, getting involved in local events and offering a great meeting space.”