Thursday, July 11, 2024

News: Not lovin' it - New Rotherham McDonald's recommended for refusal

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Planners at Rotherham Council are recommending that plans for a new McDonald’s Drive-Thru restaurant in Dinnington be refused.

The authority is concerned over the loss of employment land.

Rothbiz reported last year that the fast food giant was working on proposals on the site of the former Dinnington Colliery which has been reclaimed and transformed as part of a successful regeneration scheme.

The proposed site at Campbell Way and Nobel Way is surrounded by commercial and industrial units and is close to the Monk's Bridge Farm pub.

McDonald’s said that the plans would deliver a Drive-Thru restaurant, creating 100 jobs (70 full-time equivalent jobs) in the area and featuring indoor and outdoor seating, as well as on-site car parking spaces, cycle storage and new high-quality soft and hard landscaping.

The application is due to go before the planning board next week.

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The application site consists of 0.47 hectares of land allocated for Industrial and Business Use. Applicants say that if it is used for a drive thru then the Borough’s employment land supply would fall by 0.2% -from 252.59 hectares to 252.12 hectares. The application states: "It is clear, therefore, that even following implementation of the proposed development, Rotherham would have a large supply of land to meet its economic strategy and development needs – particularly when viewed in the context of the identified Local Plan requirement of 235ha."

Challenges associated with bringing the land forward for industrial use were also stressed. Applicants say that the site has been marketed since 2015 but did not receive any significant interest and suggest that the site is subject to significant remediation costs.

But planners at Rotherham Council say that the proposals go against the policies regarding non-employment use on land allocated for Industrial and Business Use.

The planner's report questions the type of jobs created by McDonald's compared to industrial occupiers. It states: "by virtue of its range and quality of employment opportunities, it has little positive contribution to the borough and would not meet the criteria."

Planners also believe that there is no valid evidence to indicate the site is no longer required for employment use as the applicant are not considering in detail the viability of the site but instead have provided a high level assessment.

The council's own Public Health department also raises concerns about the high concentration of hot food takeaways within the Dinnington area.

Planners conclude: "The introduction of the drive-thru restaurant on this allocated site employment site [sic] would result in the loss of employment land and would reduce the potential for future development of remaining employment land to the north of the site, with no significant benefit or adequate justification."

Members of the planning board are due to discuss the proposals on July 18.

Images: McDonald's / Lichfields

11 comments:

Anonymous,  July 11, 2024 at 9:49 PM  

Sounds like the excuse for refusal is clutching at straws. The area would benefit from this rather than leaving a parcel of land vacant with no interest in the 9 years its been marketed.

Anonymous,  July 12, 2024 at 10:29 AM  

RMBC give planning permission for speculative warehouses, employing less than a handful of people, but not a company that will employ a good number of people at a site where no other company has looked to setup.

Anonymous,  July 12, 2024 at 5:43 PM  

And, just wait until Labour, get going tho'. No more green, spaces and that and taxes up to 94%percents. Unions on strike full time, hospitals sold to Russian pals, Rotherham counsellors given pierages, bonuses for small boat builders, monnerky disbanded, and, Buckinham House given to homeless scroungers and blind people. Mark my werds, you herd it hear first

Anonymous,  July 13, 2024 at 12:07 AM  

"hilarious"

Anonymous,  July 13, 2024 at 9:29 AM  

Detected some improvement in your posting skills there old bean. Keep up the good work.

Anonymous,  July 13, 2024 at 6:21 PM  

Try learning how to spell, that'd be a good start.

Anonymous,  July 13, 2024 at 11:32 PM  

No pulling the wool over your eyes.

Anonymous,  July 14, 2024 at 9:14 AM  

A good start to what?

Anonymous,  July 14, 2024 at 11:00 AM  

Making your posts readable, rather than having to guess what on earth you're on about!

Anonymous,  July 14, 2024 at 1:40 PM  

Would it get approved if they changed the plans to make it a high rise McDonald’s?

Anonymous,  July 16, 2024 at 9:38 AM  

Tired and lazy comment.

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