Plans for Panera Bread to come to Leland

LELAND (StarNews/WWAY) — A Panera Bread could be coming to Leland in the near future, according to officials with Leland’s planning department.

The StarNews reports while the planning department is still waiting for site plans, senior planner Ashli Barefoot said DP3 Architects have submitted a zoning application with the proposed name of the business listed as Panera Bread.

There are presently two Panera Bread locations in the region, one near Independence Mall and another at Mayfaire. If approved, this would be the first Panera location in Brunswick County.

The Leland site would be located at Waterford Village, according to the zoning application, which includes a 4,192-square-foot space at 2024 Old Regent Way.

It appears the project would utilize several of the smaller retail spaces in the shopping center and upfit them for a Panera Bread.

The business hopes to be open by early 2018. Panera Bread will be announcing more in the coming months.