A PLANNING application to build a drive-thru McDonald’s in Larkhall has been submitted to the council.

The fast-food chain announced plans in March to develop a £4 million facility, and plans have now officially been submitted to the local authority for approval.

If approved, the new restaurant will be built on Borland Drive with car access being proposed from the northern extent of the site from the existing access of Borland Drive.

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And pedestrian access is proposed from the west of the vehicular access point, connecting the existing footway provision on Borland Drive with additional walking routes being proposed to the western extent of the site which will provide walking routes between Borland Drive and Strutherhill. 

The new drive-thru would generate between £50,000 and £60,000 in business rates per year for South Lanarkshire Council to help fund key local services.

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And the new restaurant will create more than 120 jobs in a range of full-time and part-time positions, adding to the 600 workers already employed by McDonald’s across South Lanarkshire.

McDonald’s shares some of the key aspirations of South Lanarkshire Council’s recent Sustainable Development Climate Change Strategy, which is a commitment to addressing the climate crisis. 

To achieve this, the company will include a range of measures to create a sustainable development, including being committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040, the aim to source all packaging from renewable and recyclable materials by 2025 and ensuring 80% of kitchen waste will be recycled.

And 100% of the power used by the drive-thru will be sourced from renewable sources. McDonald’s will supplement this with onsite solar panels and consider electric vehicle charging points to encourage greener travel. 

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As well as this, the planners are committed to creating an attractive development with new landscaping to create a positive relationship with neighbouring properties and encourage biodiversity, including tree loss from the site occupied with McDonald’s.

Plans include retaining a number of existing trees on site, as well as introducing new trees and native planting which is currently hardstanding. The proposals would deliver environmental and ecological benefits including new habitat opportunities. 

The application was received by the council on April 2 and validated on May 2.

Neighbourhood consultation kicked off on May 4 and will end on May 25 with standard consultation beginning on May 4 and ending on May 18.

The deadline for determining the application is July 1.