McDondald’s in North Swindon set to open longer (From Swindon Advertiser)

McDondald’s in North Swindon set to open longer

6:30pm Thursday 10th January 2013 in News By Emma Dunn

A FAST food outlet could soon be frying up for more hours of the day if a planning application is given the go-ahead.

McDonald’s restaurant and drive-thru, at the Orbital in North Swindon, has applied to Swindon Council to open at 6am rather than 7am from Monday to Saturday and at 6am rather than 8am on Sundays.

Haydon Wick Parish Council has objected to the application, which will be discussed at a meeting on Tuesday at 6pm in the Civic Offices.

A parish council spokesman said: “The parish council object to the change of hours due to noise nuisance to nearby residential areas as there have been anti-social issues in the past.”

The council is also concerned about waste and litter in the area.

Two residents living nearby have also sent letters of objection raising concerns about noise from the drive-thru, noise from deliveries rubbish, and an increase in anti-social behaviour.

The opening hours are currently limited to 7am to 11pm Monday to Saturday and 8am until 10pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Swindon Council officers have recommended the application for approval subject to conditions.

These include a limit on deliveries to the restaurant to the current times, which are not outside the hours of 6am and 10pm from Monday to Saturday and not outside 8am and 10pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

They also recommend that conditions ensure there will be no external movement of delivery cages or refuse bins by staff outside these hours, and that the customer order display unit in the drive-thru be given a quieter night-time setting.

In the agenda, a council officer said: “It is deemed highly unlikely that earlier opening times in the mornings will lead to any additional incidents of anti-social behaviour, as one might more reasonably expect if additional hours were proposed at night.

“No deliveries would take place any earlier than they do at present.

“There is also no reason to believe that the additional hours proposed will lead to any noticeable increase in litter.

“The proposed development is unlikely to lead to an unacceptable impact upon residential amenity.”