A new McDonald’s Drive-Thru restaurant scheme in Cowes has led to a wave of supporting letters being sent to the Isle of Wight Council.
County Hall has so far received 40 comments in favour of the fast-food giant’s plans for a branch with car parking, landscaping and associated works, including Customer Order Displays, on Cowes’s Three Gates Road.
The proposal represents a multi-million-pound investment, and the premises would employ more than 120 full and part time staff, which McDonald’s aims to recruit locally, according to Planware.
Four objections have been logged on the council’s planning portal to date, with concerns including noise and light pollution, traffic congestion, odours, rubbish, unhealthy food availability, the development’s proximity to four schools and ‘general unsociable actions’.
Cowes resident Laura Wilds said:
“We need to reduce childhood obesity by limiting access to unhealthy food options where children gather.
“McDonald’s have suggested that they offer healthy foods… who is going to choose a salad when they can have a burger? How ridiculous.”
Points raised in favour of the branch include greater employment, saving journeys to the McDonald’s in Newport, litter being picked up by staff, convenience for drivers, inexpensive food, McDonald’s being ‘extremely popular’ with families and the proposal’s economic benefit.
Michael Ringer, who lives in Cowes, said:
“I support this application because Cowes has very few options for young families, and for those on a low income.
“Restaurants in the area are disproportionately expensive compared to the rest of the Island, and generally inaccessible/inappropriate for young children.”
Bobby Walkden said:
“I support this application because it’s local, makes for a quick cheap dinner after a long day without having to travel to Newport or Ryde, which can be chaotic during busy periods or frequent road works as well as a great place to socialise that’s outside the main high street.
“It’s also somewhere close by with great opening hours for grabbing a bite on a dog walk around the area.”
Another town resident, Sarah Brandham, said the development would bring more jobs for young people and offer them a place to meet with friends.
“At present, there isn’t anywhere reasonably priced for them to do this in Cowes,”
County Hall’s public consultation on proposal 25/01634/FUL finishes on 23rd January and a decision is expected on 13th February.
Get ready for traffic congestion, the one at Ryde is a
nightmare.
More junk food, more obesity = more benefits.
Look at it this way, McDonald’s is a multi billion dollar outfit, IOW council no money. Who is going to win….
Very true, the world is run by corporations,
not governments.
They are just paid for puppets, not a lot of people
know that!
So staff are going to pick up litter, what across the whole island where most of the rubbish ends up. About time our council put a tax on them to pay for the collection of rubbish on our island must be costing us a fortune in our council tax bill
Really so the already fat lazy fucks got it on their doorstep can’t wait for the carnage that will follow..wheels spins car crashes rubbish everywhere thanks for that.
Four objections have been logged on the council’s planning portal to date, with concerns including noise and light pollution, traffic congestion, odours, rubbish, unhealthy food availability, the development’s proximity to four schools and ‘general unsociable actions’…Will count for nothing.
Whilst I am not totaly against a McDonalds, it is the proposed site that is wrong. right opposite some cottages and houses and very close to a school,plus of course the additional traffic etc for upto 18 hours a day.
The public health team of the Isle of Wight Council was meant to be tackling childhood obesity. What a shame they aren’t fighting for the children now.
https://www.islandecho.co.uk/council-to-crackdown-on-levels-of-childhood-obesity/
Make it 24 hours so I can stop by at 3am on my work break and I’ll consider eating there
Better to be retired than work thesedays.