Ready for another fight against 24/7 burger drive-thru
Residents at a town centre high rise say they have had their fill of McDonald’s.
And now they’re getting ready for another battle with the burger giant to stop it operating 24 hours.
Maidstone’s drive-thru off Broadway, is seeking permission for round-the-clock opening, just months after withdrawing an application.
Families at neighbouring Broadway Heights are again displaying a banner against the proposal and a petition has also been started, with more than 70 signatures so far.
The deadline for objections was last Friday and now the decision rests with Maidstone Borough Council.
Letters objecting cite noise from customers, cars, staff whistles, smells, litter and traffic, which one resident states has made their lives hell. However Michael Swoffer, pollution technical officer for environmental enforcement at MBC, said it had received just one complaint about noise which related to the alarm system sounding when staff first arrived.
But Cllr Paul Harper, a Labour councillor for Fant ward, is among those against the application.
He said: “McDonald’s should never have been allowed in the beginning. It’s in the wrong place.” He’s written a letter to residents outlining his objections, including that it would create more noise at night and aggravate the issue of the smell from fat fryers going into properties and that it could result in anti-social behaviour with people who have been drinking in the town centre.
However, McDonald’s franchisee, Ali El Hajj, said there was demand from customers for the restaurant to be open 24 hours a day. He said: “Anyone with concerns is more than welcome to come down and discuss them.”
Mr El Hajj added steps were in place to minimise disruption such as turning off signs at night, no deliveries before 9am and staff moving on noisy people in the car park.
A date has yet to be set for the application, reference 16/505632, to go before the planning committee thought he date for determination is Monday, August 29. The branch opened in May last year on the site of a Renault garage.