This afternoon, May 6, councillors refused planning permission for a McDonald’s on Old Shoreham Road in Hove.
Ahead of the meeting, resident’s living near the proposed site hosted a protest outside Hove Town Hall. It comes after several other protests against the plans over the recent months.
Brighton and Hove City Council’s Planning Committee spent almost two hours dealing with the application as members asked questions and debated the burger chain’s plans.
Potential McDonalds site on Old Shoreham Road Hove – Image by Sarah Booker-Lewis Local Democracy Reporting Service
The key concerns raised were about road safety and traffic, including extra pollution, as well as public health and the potential loss of a protected light industrial workspace.
McDonald’s applied to demolish two buildings – occupied by Pavilion Batteries and tool hire company PR Industrial – between Majestic Wine and the Star Property Group and opposite the eastern end of Hove Cemetery South.
The plot, 267 Old Shoreham Road, used to house a KAP used car showroom.
Nine members of the planning committee voted to refuse the plans and one member abstained.
Hangleton and Knoll resident Emma Russell said that more than 3,000 children passed through the area on their way to and from school – and the National Planning Policy Framework discouraged fast-food outlets near schools.
Dr Russell said: “We have concerns that this is targeting young people – and we live in an area with increased rates of deprivation and health inequality.
“We really care about the wellbeing of our children. We feel that we have strategies in the city to protect young people with regards to sexual health, health and wellbeing and mental health. And this is no different and for this reason it shouldn’t be allowed.”
Officials told councillors that Brighton and Hove had the second-highest density of fast-food outlets in the south east.
Councillor John Hewitt And Emma Russell– image by Sarah Booker-Lewis Local Democracy Reporting Service
Labour councillor John Hewitt, who represents Hangleton and Knoll ward, spoke against the application, saying that the small industrial estate was sympathetic to the residential area.
Councillor Hewitt said: “Introducing a drive-through restaurant would fundamentally change the character of this area.
“This model relies heavily on car use and would increase traffic in the area, especially when entering and exiting the site, as well as encouraging delivery drivers using cars and motorbikes.”
He said that more than 300 people in the community had objected to the application, as well as five nearby schools.
Planning consultant Mike Spurgeon, for McDonald’s, said that the site was at least a half a mile walk away from the nearest school, Hove Park.
He added that a similar drive-through fast-food outlet – a branch of Burger King – had been granted planning permission to open less than 500 yards from the school in the Goldstone Retail Park.
Mr Spurgeon also said that “extensive external modelling” based on up-to-date traffic and queue surveys suggested that the scheme would not significantly add cause jams or parking problems.
“We’re confident that the impacts have been fully addressed and there will be no adverse effects,” he said.
Artist impression of McDonald’s in Old Shoreham Road (Image: CB)
The plans included 39 car parking spaces but council policy indicated that the maximum number should be 10.
Transport consultant Catherine Chapman, for McDonald’s, said that parking standards had been tested at a planning appeal in Norwich, with the inspector finding in McDonald’s favour.
She said: “The space allows for an articulated lorry to make deliveries to the proposed store while still allowing for customer parking.
“The highways authority has asked us to rigorously test the traffic impact and so we have assessed the traffic based on surveys of McDonald’s at Shoreham and Brighton Marina which have 28 and 43 parking spaces.
“The parking provision that we’re proposing is not only in line with other existing McDonald’s, it’s sufficient to accommodate the demand.”
Labour councillor Paul Nann raised concerns about the link between fast-food outlets and health inequalities.
Councillor Nann said: “One thing to be mindful of is that Hangleton would qualify by most metrics as a food desert.
“To introduce a fast-food restaurant into this environment would have a negative impact on the already quite ferocious health inequalities that exist in that area.”
Protesters at Hove Town Hall this afternoon – image by Sarah Booker-Lewis Local Democracy Reporting Service
Conservative councillor Carol Theobald abstained from the vote, saying that healthy eating was not a planning matter although Labour councillor Julie Cattell said that it was a consideration.
Councillor Theobald said: “The 39 parking spaces I thought was quite sensible. I just wondered if 10 probably might not be enough.
“It says in the report that this is not the city centre but where would you put a drive-through in our city centre. You don’t like cars in there at all.”
Green councillor Kerry Pickett noted concerns about the loss of the light industrial site which is protected by the council’s strategic planning blueprint, known as the City Plan.
Councillor Pickett said: “In terms of public health and road safety issues, this application may make things worse.
“Also, I think that we need to safeguard the protected industrial site for the use that it currently is used for, not change it.”
A report to the committee recommended refusing the application and councillors backed officials, voting 9-0 to reject McDonald’s proposal.
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