Councillor's 'no' to latest plan from McDonald's
By Jo Deeks on Thursday, 19th October 2000.
PLANS for a McDonald's restaurant in Haverhill have been turned down by councillors after strong objections by residents.
Members of St Edmundsbury Borough Council's Planning Committee carried out a site visit on the landscaped area near the Great Mills store, where McDonald's wanted to open a drive-through restaurant.
Despite a warning by Director of Planning Jerry Massey that their decision could be overturned on appeal, members of the planning committee voted against their officers' recommendation of approval by 11 votes to two.
The committee turned down earlier plans for the McDonald's because the area was an important landscaped area between the commercial and residential developments and its loss would be detrimental to local residents.
A public inquiry into the appeal against that refusal was postponed until the outcome of the current amended plan, which lowers the site by one metre, was decided. The inquiry is now likely to go ahead.
At a meeting after the site inspection, councillors agreed there were even more reasons for refusal, including the potential for traffic chaos and noise disturbance in Park Road, lack of room on the site and a threat to the viability of the town centre.
Gerry Kiernan, a borough councillor and Haverhill Town Mayor, said he was pleased councillors had seen for themselves the problems the plan could cause.
"I would welcome McDonald's to the town but not there. It is the wrong site and the position is the worst possible place it could be. There is also a real danger it will kill off shops in the town centre."
Coun Maggie Lee said she could not understand why they were being recommended to approve the plan when they had received three petitions with close to 2,000 signatures and the plan was not significantly different to the last one.
Mary Martin said there were at least four other sites in Haverhill which McDonald's had not considered. The council's own Environmental Health Department had conceded there was a potential for disturbance by youngsters meeting at the area. Local residents said the Great Mills car park was already used as a racetrack.
Coun Trevor Beckwith said he could not see how noise, disturbance and traffic problems could be prevented by conditions. "To me, it is just big business showing total disregard for the local community," he said.
Coun Terry Clements said plans provided were deceptive and did not truly reflect the scale of the site, which he believed was too small for the use. He believed traffic problems would be impossible to police and that there were strong reasons for refusal, including McDonald's 7am to 11pm opening hours, seven days a week.
Council Leader Derek Redhead voted in favour of approval and said he feared McDonald's would proceed with the appeal on their original plan, which would be even worse for local residents.
Planning officer Chris Rand said in all appeals against McDonald's sites nationally, concerns about noise and smell disturbance had all been dismissed.
Members of St Edmundsbury Borough Council's Planning Committee carried out a site visit on the landscaped area near the Great Mills store, where McDonald's wanted to open a drive-through restaurant.
Despite a warning by Director of Planning Jerry Massey that their decision could be overturned on appeal, members of the planning committee voted against their officers' recommendation of approval by 11 votes to two.
The committee turned down earlier plans for the McDonald's because the area was an important landscaped area between the commercial and residential developments and its loss would be detrimental to local residents.
A public inquiry into the appeal against that refusal was postponed until the outcome of the current amended plan, which lowers the site by one metre, was decided. The inquiry is now likely to go ahead.
At a meeting after the site inspection, councillors agreed there were even more reasons for refusal, including the potential for traffic chaos and noise disturbance in Park Road, lack of room on the site and a threat to the viability of the town centre.
Gerry Kiernan, a borough councillor and Haverhill Town Mayor, said he was pleased councillors had seen for themselves the problems the plan could cause.
"I would welcome McDonald's to the town but not there. It is the wrong site and the position is the worst possible place it could be. There is also a real danger it will kill off shops in the town centre."
Coun Maggie Lee said she could not understand why they were being recommended to approve the plan when they had received three petitions with close to 2,000 signatures and the plan was not significantly different to the last one.
Mary Martin said there were at least four other sites in Haverhill which McDonald's had not considered. The council's own Environmental Health Department had conceded there was a potential for disturbance by youngsters meeting at the area. Local residents said the Great Mills car park was already used as a racetrack.
Coun Trevor Beckwith said he could not see how noise, disturbance and traffic problems could be prevented by conditions. "To me, it is just big business showing total disregard for the local community," he said.
Coun Terry Clements said plans provided were deceptive and did not truly reflect the scale of the site, which he believed was too small for the use. He believed traffic problems would be impossible to police and that there were strong reasons for refusal, including McDonald's 7am to 11pm opening hours, seven days a week.
Council Leader Derek Redhead voted in favour of approval and said he feared McDonald's would proceed with the appeal on their original plan, which would be even worse for local residents.
Planning officer Chris Rand said in all appeals against McDonald's sites nationally, concerns about noise and smell disturbance had all been dismissed.
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