Plans new new McDonalds in Bingley blocked over traffic concerns
The application to redevelop a site on Bradford Road has been refused
A COUNCILLOR has questioned whether plans to build a new restaurant and take away in Bingley would have attracted as much opposition had they been for a Bettys Tea Room rather than a McDonalds.
An application to build a McDonalds drive thru on the former Bingley Police Station site was refused by a Bradford Council Planning Panel on Wednesday after members heard hundreds of people had objected to the proposals.
After a lengthy debate, the Bradford District Planning Panel ignored advice from planning officers and refused the plans due to highways and parking concerns.
But members were warned that the Council may struggle to defend any refusal if McDonalds appeals the decision – and a successful appeal by the company could land taxpayers with a hefty bill.
The planning application for the long empty Bradford Road site was submitted last year. The global food giant said the 96-seat, two storey branch would employ 70 full time staff and involve a huge investment into the town.
Although over 400 people had written in support of the plans, there had been over 500 objections.
These ranged from concerns over traffic and parking to public health fears – that the McDonalds would encourage unhealthy eating in the town.
There had also been questions over the restaurant’s 24-hour opening time – but planning officers told the panel that McDonalds had agreed to reduce opening hours to 6am to midnight in light of these concerns.
Members were shown images of the site, including artists’ impressions of the proposed McDonalds. One image was flipped 90 degrees, and officers struggled to turn it the right way on the screen.
This prompted one elderly man sat in the meeting to shout: “That’s what you’re trying to do to our lives, turn it upside down!”
One debate during the meeting was whether the business would be classed as a takeaway. Current Council policies prevent takeaways from opening within 400 metres of a school or park, unless it is based in a city, town or village centre.
The policy was brought in over a decade ago to reduce obesity.
But planning officers pointed out that with over 90 seats, the business would be classed as a restaurant rather than takeaway.
And they argued that whatever the use class, the site was in the town centre, and so the takeaway policy would not apply.
Objectors disagreed. Councillor Joe Wheatley (Ind, Bingley) said the draft Bingley Town Plan set out an area that should be classed as Bingley’s town centre, and this site was not included.
But planners pointed out that this plan had not yet been adopted, and the current Council framework classed the site as town centre.
Cllr Wheatley said the development would remove around 20 free on street parking spaces. He said Bingley Library and other areas of the town had “ongoing” issues with anti-social behaviour, and questioned how this new McDonalds could add to the problem.
One objector, a Mr Marshall, said: “These are genuine concerns, not just NIMBYism.
“Should we be bringing an extra 1,000 vehicles a day into the town centre when we’ve struggled to get rid of traffic in the past?”
Bingley Town Councillor David Heseltine (Cons) referred to the concerns over unhealthy food, pointing out that salads likely only made up a small portion of McDonalds’ sales.
Panel member Councillor Paul Sullivan (Cons, Bingley) described planners’ suggestion that the application should be approved as “appalling” and also raised concerns the McDonalds could lead to obesity among Bingley schoolchildren.
Councillor Mohammed Amran (Lab, Heaton) said: “We’re trying to improve the health of young people in the area. It might be a restaurant but a lot of people will take food away.”
He recommended the panel go against officer’s recommendation and refuse the plans.
Officers, including the Council’s legal officer Bob Power, said refusing the plans without any clear planning reason could mean the Council would be on dangerous ground should McDonalds appeal the decision.
Any application for costs should an appeal be lost by the Council could prove pricey for the cash strapped authority.
Chair of the Committee Councillor Sinead Engel (Lab, Clayton and Fairweather Green) said: “It seems to me like a large proportion of the objections are because this is a McDonalds.
“If it was a Bettys Tea Room, which serves food that is equally as bad for you and also does takeaway, I don’t think we’d have as many objections.”
Referring to the claim that the site was not in the town centre, she said: “If you show me a picture of that site I’d say it is in the town centre. The current District plan describes this site as town centre.”
Five members voted to refuse the application, with three voting for approval. Two members abstained from voting.
In an unusual moment, the meeting was adjourned, and the public asked to leave, so members could come up with a reason to refuse the plans that would comply with planning laws.
When the public were invited back into the meeting members had decided to refuse the plans due to unsafe access into an out of the site and a lack of parking facilities.