Town not lovin’ plan for burger restaurant
AWELSH town has launched a petition against fast-food giant McDonald’s opening on its outskirts which they claim would harm local businesses.
A GP has also hit out at the plans for St Clears, which she argues flies in the face of efforts by the health service and county council to battle the obesity crisis.
A developer has launched plans to open a new McDonald’s restaurant and drive-thru on land north of the A40 roundabout outside St Clears.
Plans will also see a Costa Coffee with a drive-thru.
Both ventures would create 80 jobs if given planning permission.
However, some in the town are unhappy with the development being planned.
A pub could also form part of the site at a later date, say the applicants, Draycott Developments and Investments.
Dr Catherine Jenkins, a GP who lives in the town, said a Facebook group had been set up and a petition launched to fight the plans.
She added: “We are just a group of residents who feel that this will affect us all and want our voices heard before the developer’s plans are rushed through.
“St Clears has unique character, with many local food businesses including butchers, bakers, cafés and restaurants.
“We are worried that this drivethru development will be totally out of place and that any jobs created would be offset by the impact on local businesses, their suppliers and the economy as a whole.
“There are concerns the infrastructure will not manage.”
However, within the planning application the developers say the scheme is not intended to have an impact on the town itself.
Another of the concerns is the issue of it being yet another fast-food restaurant potentially springing up.
Already between Haverfordwest and the Pont Abraham services are four McDonald’s restaurants along the A40 and A48.
Dr Jenkins said health and wellbeing is high on the agenda at the moment with campaigns such as #AdEnough by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, which aims to curb the advertising of junk food.
Dr Jenkins added: “As a GP I see first hand the impact of the rising obesity and chronic illness crisis and the effect this is having on our health services and communities.
“Many children and young people live in St Clears and we feel this development is at odds with Carmarthenshire’s local development plan which commits to play a role in reducing obesity and the Welsh Government’s Future Generations Act, which aims to promote health and wellbeing.”
The planning application for the development will be discussed in the near future by Carmarthenshire Council planning committee.