Peak District locals bid to stop McDonalds opening in their village


Locals in a picturesque Peak District town are fighting to stop fast food giant McDonald’s from opening a restaurant there.

Plans were lodged with High Peak Borough Council for a new takeaway on the site of the former Wren’s Nest pub in Glossop, Derbyshire, last November.

But residents are worried about additional traffic and the new-build restaurant looking out of place in a conservation area and will lead to an increase in traffic, anti-social behaviour and litter. 

The fast food giant is planning to demolish the old pub and build a restaurant on the site which will provide 60 jobs for the area.   

Locals in Glossop, Derbyshire are objecting to plans by McDonalds to build a new drive thru restaurant in their village

Locals in Glossop, Derbyshire are objecting to plans by McDonalds to build a new drive thru restaurant in their village 

Some locals are supporting the plans to demolish the pub and build the restaurant which will bring 60 jobs to the village

Some locals are supporting the plans to demolish the pub and build the restaurant which will bring 60 jobs to the village

Opponents to the scheme, pictured, claim the restaurant will bring anti-social behaviour and traffic to their village

Opponents to the scheme, pictured, claim the restaurant will bring anti-social behaviour and traffic to their village

The town – population 33,000 – is split, with many people supporting the proposal.

However, there is also significant opposition in some quarters.

A campaign group called Oppose McDonald’s was started in early December and launched a petition which has around 800 signatures.

Organiser Jane Fantom said: ‘The McDonald’s submission states residential amenity is not considered a concern in this application.

‘Residents disagree and say the development will impact significantly on their quality of life.

‘The McDonald’s will be open late at night for long hours creating noise, anti-social behaviour, littering and increased traffic gridlock.

‘The development will be brightly lit and clearly visible 24 hours per day from the Wren Nest Mill as it will be in an elevated position.’

McDonald's have submitted a planning application to High Peak Borough Council who have invited submissions on the plan ahead of a final decision

McDonald’s have submitted a planning application to High Peak Borough Council who have invited submissions on the plan ahead of a final decision

The highways department at Derbyshire County Council has also condemned the proposal

The highways department at Derbyshire County Council has also condemned the proposal

Campaigners also believe the traffic assessment submitted ‘grossly’ underestimates the peak traffic at the site, and neglects to consider already congested roads around the area.

The highways department at Derbyshire County Council has also condemned the proposal.

A statement from project engineer Glen Donaldson said: ‘The Highway Authority could not support this application if it were to come in as a full application.

‘The access to the site is unacceptable from an operational point of view.

‘Without seeing any traffic forecasts or assessments, it is difficult to predict the effect of queuing onto the mainstream section of Glossop Brook Road but if other McDonald’s drive-through sites are anything to go by, potential queuing on the side road will also result in unnecessary queuing on the mainstream section of Glossop Brook Road.’

McDonald's said they have submitted a transport assessment as part of their application which does not envisage any additional congestion

McDonald’s said they have submitted a transport assessment as part of their application which does not envisage any additional congestion 

Another local resident and member of the Oppose group, Sharon Conreen, spoke about her difficulties accessing the site on her mobility scooter.

She believes the submitted plan and site location ignores the needs of people with mobility problems and wheelchair users in terms of their independence and access to the site.

The campaign group have also met with Councillor Damien Greenhalgh (Lab) about the development being at odds with the High Peak local plan.

The local plan states that all new developments are required to protect and enhance the character, appearance and setting of towns.

Ms Fantom said: ‘A McDonald’s with large, illuminated signage and two huge totem poles will not be in keeping with the local heritage or the Wren Nest Mill in the conservation area or the town.’

A spokesperson for McDonald’s said: ‘At McDonald’s we strive to be a good neighbour in the communities we serve.

‘We firmly believe we can have a positive impact in this area including the creation of at least 65 full and part time jobs for local people.

‘We pride ourselves on the positive contributions we make in communities across the UK and we proudly operate our business in a responsible way, beneficial to those in the immediate and surrounding areas.

‘A Transport Assessment has been submitted as part of our planning application which concludes that our proposed development would have no material impact on the operation of the local road network.

‘Our application will be appraised as part of the process by the relevant highways authority to ensure safety.

‘We are committed to keeping the areas around our restaurants clean and tidy. All our restaurants are equipped with indoor and outdoor recycling facilities.

‘We will conduct a minimum of three daily litter picks to collect all litter, not just McDonald’s branded packaging, within the vicinity of our restaurant.

‘As a business, we have committed to sourcing all our packaging from renewable and recyclable materials by 2025.

‘The comments referenced make up a small proportion of the hundreds of supportive comments publicly visible within the planning file of the High Peak Borough Council website.’

The public consultation on the proposal closes at the end of this month, with a decision date set for March.

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