PLANS for a McDonald’s drive-thru in Coventry have been thrown out after more than 300 residents signed a petition in opposition.
Plans were submitted to Coventry City Council to build the 24/7 drive-thru restaurant on the Asda car park on London Road in Whitley.
But now the fast-food giant has withdrawn its application saying it will return with a better offer amid criticism from residents.
Nearby residents submitted two petitions to the council containing 337 signatures against the proposals.
The petitions focused on concerns about traffic, air quality, public health and anti-social behaviour.
Nieghbours were also concerned about its positioning so close to a nearby primary and secondary school – and about the two-storey restaurant impinging on the privacy of adjacent homes.
A McDonald’s spokesperson said: “We can confirm that we have withdrawn our planning application at Abbey Park, Asda.
“Taking on board the feedback from the council and local residents, we will be revising the building design and are looking to resubmit the application in the near future.”
The application from McDonald’s – for its seventh restaurant in the city – said the Asda car park is heavily underused and that the new restaurant would create 64 new jobs.
The restaurant would have been a two-storey drive-thru and would be built over more than 100 spaces of Asda’s 477-space car park, with room for 30 associated parking spaces.
As we reported, Conservative councillor Roger Bailey, who submitted the petitions, said last week: “Local residents have serious concerns about this addition on the ASDA car park that is at times heavily used.
“There are also concerns about the increase in traffic on an already busy junction, which at times sees vehicle backed up along the London Road and the damage this causes to air quality locally.”
