Golden arches proposed

Maccas puts new store on the menu

A NEW fast food outlet is expected to replace Oporto after the Portuguese-style burger joint pulled out of a new quick service food precinct under development at Earlville Shopping Town.

Planning documents filed with Cairns Regional Council reveal changes to an existing approval for an Oporto restaurant slated to operate alongside popular Mexican fast food chain Guzman y Gomez.

Approval was granted on January 17 for the two drivethrough quick service restaurants fronting Mulgrave Rd but the withdrawal of Oporto left a vacancy at the site.

In an updated submission to council from applicant Fawkner Property group, a new freestanding McDonald's outlet will fill the vacant site.

The Melbourne-based asset manager Fawkner Property acquired Earlville Shopping Town for $146m in November last year.

“The proposed changes do not result in a significant departure from the previous approval as the development will still present as two drivethrough quick service restaurants of a similar appearance,” documents filed with council state.

“The proposal is to occur generally in the approved location and accessed via the internal car park of the shopping centre.

“The modification results in an increased landscape buffer along Mulgrave Rd which will improve the appearance of the development from the public realm.”

Artwork accompanying the updated proposal suggests the new McDonalds outlet could feature indoor tubes, mazes and slides at a PlayPlace branded outlet.

The minor change to the approved development lodged on November 16 is pending council approval.

The site for the two new quick service restaurants at Earlville Shopping Town is currently unoccupied, showing little progress beyond the demolition of the former buildings, where NAB and Westpac bank branches and a police beat shopfront were previously located.

In November a spokesman for the popular Mexican fast food chain Guzman y Gomez confirmed the chain would not be slinging its signature nachos, burritos and fries until midway through 2023.

Guzman y Gomez was originally slated to open in June this year.

A McDonald’s outlet previously operated in the food court of the Earlville Shopping Town but ceased to trade a number of years ago.

If the new McDonalds restaurant development goes ahead it will be the eighth Cairns outlet complementing locations at Cairns Central, Cairns City, Parramatta Park, Manoora, Smithfield, Redlynch and Woree.

McDonalds was asked for comment.