McDonald’s outlet row
RESIDENTS have slammed plans to turn an Asda car park into a McDonald’s.
The supermarket giant has submitted two planning applications to Glasgow City Council, one for a drive-through restaurant and the other for retail units.
Mount Florida Community Council says putting a fast-food outlet so close to a secondary school is irresponsible. It believes there should have been a consultation.
RESIDENTS have slammed plans from Asda to turn its Toryglen car park into a McDonald’s.
The supermarket giant has submitted two planning applications to Glasgow Council, one for a drivethrough restaurant and the other for retail units.
But Mount Florida Community Council says putting a fast-food outlet so close to a secondary school is irresponsible.
And it wants Asda to sign up to a raft of plans that will support the local community, as well as agree to a public consultation.
Chris Carus, chairman of Mount Florida Community Council, said: “We have asked Asda to withdraw the applications and consult the community before re-submitting. Alternatively, we are asking for measures to support the local community.
“Those measures must include action against littering, plus health programmes with young people and support to regenerate the nearby town centres of Mount Florida and Govanhill.”
Both planning applications were submitted in December.
The first is for a drivethrough fast-food restaurant and a 24-hour petrol filling station shop. The second is for six new shops, although Asda has not said what plans there are, if any, to fill these retail units.
The community council believes the plans should have been open to community consultation. When planning applications are submitted, the applicant has a responsibility to inform the immediate neighbours.
In this case, the notification list on the application shows that only the existing Asda petrol station and the supermarket were informed.
Mr Carus said: “The complex applications, which included hundreds of pages, were made available for comment over the busy Christmas period with the effect that few people had a chance to comment. The city council should not allow that to go unchallenged.”
He added: “Asda claims to be a good neighbour but this proposal will have an adverse effect on the surrounding area.
“These issues need to be properly scrutinised and addressed.”
The planning applications were due to be determined at Glasgow City Council’s Planning Applications Committee meeting today but have been postponed.
A spokesman for Asda said: “The applications at our Toryglen store continue to progress through the plan- ning process and we were pleased to recently meet the community council and other local stakeholders and provide clarity on a number of matters.”
A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said the authority could not comment on a live planning application.
He added the plans would not constitute a major application, even if submitted as one, and so a consultation is not required.