MID Devon District Council (MDDC) planners, who meet on Wednesday, January 10, are being recommended to approve plans for a McDonald’s restaurant and drive-thru on the edge of Crediton.

MDDC officers, in a report to the meeting, recommend the approval: “Pending confirmation from the Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFA) to final drainage arrangement details, grant permission subject to conditions and the signing of a S106 agreement to secure the following: 

1) A financial contribution of £35,281 to be allocated and spent towards measures necessary to assist with the flow of traffic through the Western Gateway, St Lawrence Green and the High Street in Crediton and for the provision of two additional electric vehicle charging points above the two required by Policy making four in total to address air quality within the Crediton Air Quality Management Area.

2) A financial contribution of £15,000 toward the Shop Front Enhancement scheme. The shop front/business enhancement scheme is specifically targeted at SME businesses preparing and serving food: (Use classes E(a), E(b) and sui generis) that are situated within the Crediton Town centre boundary. 3) To secure the funding of £5,000 for Devon County Council for double yellow lines through the TRO process and to secure the land on the Eastern Side of Joseph Locke Way, North of the junction to the proposed entrance to provide for a cycle/footway to the junction.”

The application seeks planning permission for the erection of a restaurant with drive-thru facility, car parking, landscaping and associated works on land at NGR 284600 099535 Joseph Locke Way, Crediton.

CALLED IN

The application has been called in by Crediton Mid Devon District Councillor Jim Cairney (Boniface ward, LibDem) in order for Members of the Council Planning Committee to consider the following: 

1. Not in line with the local plan which identifies land to be used for light industrial or small business. 2. Effect on amenity of the area as this site has been identified as one of the gateways to Crediton. 3. Increased traffic. 4. Light pollution. 5. Not in line with the vernacular appearance as outlined in the Crediton Neighbourhood plan. 

SIGNAGE

Planning documents state that this application is being considered in conjunction with three separate advertisement applications for the various signage proposed in and around the site.

It says that the site is located to the south east of Crediton being within the settlement limits of Crediton, being on a site allocated under Policy CRE10 which states “Land south of A377 - A site of 2.6 hectares south of the A377 in Crediton is allocated for commercial development subject to the following: a) 7,600 square metres of B1, B2 or B8 floorspace or other suitable commercial uses.”

The planning documents add: “The site is accessed from Joseph Locke Way, from a shared access road with Mole Avon Country Stores to the south.

“The site is well contained, with existing mature trees to the east and a levels difference to the north.

“The site is located adjacent to a range of retail uses, such as Tesco, the Petrol Filling Station, Mole Avon Country Stores and the Red Deer pub/restaurant. There is also Redlands Primary Care, which is a strategic and integrated Primary Care Facility, designed to provide a sustainable primary care service for the next 30 years within Crediton. Further to the north are residential properties as part of the Wellparks Development where further housing is proposed. 

“The proposal represents a Class E/ Sui Generis use, comprising a modern freestanding single storey McDonald’s restaurant with drive-thru, car parking, landscaping and associated works, including customer order displays (COD) and a play frame.

“Provision is made for takeaway customers, both from the counter and from the drive-thru lane. The restaurant would have a gross external area (GEA) (including the corral and freezer chiller) of 377.3 sqm, and the gross internal area (GIA) is 350 sqm, whereby the dining area would amount to 78sqm. The customer seating area comprises 76 covers for visitors to eat their meals so the maximum amount of people who could sit down for a meal at the restaurant would be 76. 

“The proposal includes 36 car parking spaces, inclusive of provision for two accessible bays, two grill bays and four electric vehicle charging bays (one being an accessible bay).

“Furthermore, there will be five Sheffield customer bike stands, for an overall provision of 10 cycle spaces.

“The supporting statement outlines that this proposal represents a multi-million-pound investment by a national operator in Crediton and the restaurant is expected to employ more than 120 full and part time staff, which McDonald’s seeks to recruit from the local area.”

At the time of writing, 111 letters of representation have been received, 45 letters of which are of objection, one letter of general comment and 65 were letters of support. Letters of representation can be viewed in full on the council’s website: www.middevon.gov.uk .

The grounds of objection, and in favour, are summarised within the supporting documents.

Negotiations by the applicant has seen some actions taken following early representations such as reduction of signage, light pollution, building design, etc but there are still some concerns being expressed about traffic and access including the backing up of queuing traffic onto the highway at peak times.