Planning permission on hold for Mayo McDonald’s restaurant
A planning application submitted by fast-food chain McDonald’s to Mayo County Council is currently on hold as the council has requested further information.
The application is seeking permission to develop a McDonald’s drive-thru restaurant in Claremorris, which, if approved, would be the second McDonald’s restaurant in the county.
The proposed site is located along Knock Road, adjacent to the Silverbridge Plaza Shopping Centre.
To date, four objections have been lodged against the development.
One objection, submitted by Ms Hazel Doyle, raises concerns that the restaurant would be “less than 250m” from the senior campus of Claremorris National School. It argues that easy access to fast food so close to a school could have a “detrimental” effect on young people’s health.
The submission also points out that the site is already in a busy area, close to coffee shops, three supermarkets and a primary care centre, and suggests the land could instead be used for a public amenity such as a skate park with picnic benches and flower beds, or a sensory garden.
Another objection, submitted by Ms Lisa Marie Barrett and Mr Niall Barrett, states that the development could worsen traffic congestion, increase noise and create parking issues for nearby residents. It also raises concerns about anti-social behaviour and loitering, noting that this is already an issue in the area, with people “drinking and smoking” there.
An objection lodged by Ms Marina Marot also raised concerns about increased traffic, noise, and loitering. It further highlighted potential issues with odours and rubbish disposal, noting the large volume of food and waste that is handled daily at a fast-food restaurant.
A decision was due to be made on the planning application, but Mayo County Council has instead asked for further information from McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland Limited.
Mayo County Council has requested updated details confirming that all road markings, including yellow boxes, meet national standards.
They also want information on how the drive-thru will be monitored and managed, as there are concerns that queuing cars could block nearby national and local roads and junctions.
The council has additionally requested a revised Stage One Road Safety Audit, including details on how the overall layout will operate safely once in use.
They are also seeking clearer information on pedestrian safety, specifically how people will cross the access road and how tactile paving and footpaths will link safely and consistently with the existing shopping centre.
Finally, the council has called for a new noise survey to be carried out during school term, along with a more detailed Noise Impact Assessment.
It will show how construction and day-to-day operations of the restaurant might affect noise-sensitive receptors, such as nearby houses, schools, or community buildings, and what measures will be put in place if noise levels exceed acceptable limits.
In total, the council has requested ten items of further information. The developer now has six months to provide this, otherwise the application will be withdrawn except in exceptional cases.
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.