Plans to develop a McDonald’s drive-thru in Larkhall have been given the go-ahead despite initial recommendations to refuse the application.

Councillors at South Lanarkshire’s planning committee yesterday knocked back officials when they voted in favour of the fast food restaurant on Boreland Drive which is set to generate up to £60,000 in business rates each year for the council to help fund key services,  and 120 jobs for the local area.

Planning officials had concerns with traffic issues that could be caused due to the new development and the council’s road department advised against the plans due to there being no means to control traffic and parking which could pose an issue for other road issues.

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Larkhall councillor Ross Clark, proposed to go ahead with the plans due to the economic benefits it would bring to the town.

He said: “The planning department have made the decision that it should be refused because it is not located in a town centre, but as has been shown since the last application, there is no location within the town centre that would be suitable for a drive-thru, so it seems we’ve been put this position where Larkhall can never get a drive -thru. No drive-thrus are allowed in Larkhall because there isn’t a location in the town centre which would be suitable for one.

“Other aspects is that it’s along the main road from Larkhall, it’s not in the town centre boundary but it is on the same physical road as the town centre so there will be lots of cars passing through that area. I believe there will be lots of passing cars on the road network anyway, it’s all on a bus route, people can cycle to it, it’s accessible by pedestrian access and I think it’s been shown there are a lot of mitigations to promote active travel.

“The proposal seems to comply with most of the local and national sustainable transport related policies, so it seems that mitigations have been put in place.

“There’s a strong economic aspect, obviously with the jobs that it will bring and I think on balance that outweighs some of the concerns that have been put in place. As mentioned, Larkhall doesn’t have a drive-thru so you’ve actually got lots of people who would currently be having to travel to Hamilton or Wishaw to go to a drive-thru and I don’t know how many people who would be taking up a McDonald’s now that wouldn’t be on the road network anyway because of this development. 

“I believe that it should be done on a case by case basis and I believe that there’s lots of mitigations in place to allay the concerns that have been mentioned.  “It’s for those reasons that I have outlined that I would plan to put forward an amendment that this is granted. I don’t believe the impacts that are detailed in this report are going to be as great as what has been outlined here.”

He brought forward an amendment to grant approval of the plans due to the economic benefits outweighing the concerns outlined in the planning papers. His amendment was backed by councillor David Shearer (Clydesdale West), and voted in favour of by a majority of councillors on the committee.

Councillor Richard Nelson, who also represents Larkhall, was against the plans.

He said: “Generally speaking as a member in the ward myself, there are areas within the town centre, we don’t always need to have a drive-thru, the Scottish Government are trying to reduce car journeys yet we open a drive-thru to increase car journeys.

“There are areas in our town centre that McDonald’s can use. It would be a restaurant and that’s what we need within our town centre we need a restaurant not a drive-thru, so there are areas within our town centre, probably one of the best and busiest town centre’s in the whole of South Lanarkshire but yet we will take people away from our town centre yet again.”

Following statutory neighbourhood notification, the plans received 539 support letters and 142 objections.

Objections were based around issues such as the impact on privacy, a site in the town centre should have been chosen and traffic issues.

Those who supported the plans noted the boost to the local economy, employment opportunities and Larkhall residents travelling less to access a McDonald’s as positives.  Now approved, the new restaurant will include seating for 79 customers and there are plans for 40 parking spaces, four electrical charging spaces, eight cycling spaces, five motorcycle bays, two accessible spaces and two reserve bays for the drive-thru.

Other councillors supported the plans, including councillor Graham Scott (East Kilbride East), who also highlighted the economic benefits.

He said: “This is a spectacular potential for economic development in Larkhall, the basic facts are that the restaurant will generate £1.5 million  for the local economy and provide 120 jobs.

“So obviously McDonald’s sees the potential for economic growth, and the only way we can make our communities more prosperous is by jobs, by generating money in the economy and circulating the economy.”

“I’m delighted to support this application and not refuse it.”