Petrol station and new branch of McDonald’s will open in Craigneuk

Councillors have granted planning permission for a new roadside services development comprising a petrol station, shop, and drive-through McDonald’s restaurant and coffee shop.
The new development will include a drive-thru McDonald's. Pic: Lisa Ferguson.The new development will include a drive-thru McDonald's. Pic: Lisa Ferguson.
The new development will include a drive-thru McDonald's. Pic: Lisa Ferguson.

The applicant, EG Limited, had requested planning permission to develop a site at Flemington Industrial Park in Craigneuk. This had been recommended for conditional approval by North Lanarkshire Council planners.

The application had drawn 33 objections. Some of the more commonly shared concerns were in relation to the proliferation of fast food outlets, impact on efforts to combat obesity and promote healthy living, and the potential impact on existing businesses,

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Councillor Fiona Fotheringham opposed the application, saying: “The concern I have is that there would then be three McDonald’s restaurants in the space of three miles. Certainly on the basis of the voices of the local community I would move to reject the application.”

Councillor Fotheringham was seconded by Councillor Bob Burgess.

Councillor Bill Shields moved to grant and was seconded by council leader Jim Logue, with a roll call vote held to decide who was in favour of the motion (grant planning permission) or the amendment to refuse.

The councillors voting for the motion were: Lynn Anderson, Harry Curran, Allan Graham, Paul Kelly, Jim Logue, John McLaren, Michael McPake, Claire Quigley, Bill Shields, Alex McVey, David Stocks and Sandy Watson.

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The councillors voting for the amendment were:  Bob Burgess, Sophia Coyle, Shahid Farooq, Fiona Fotheringham, Tom Johnston and Greg Lennon. Councillor Trevor Douglas abstained making the total 12 to six in favour.

Although deviating from the local plan for North Lanarkshire, officers found this to be acceptable as the site had alternative development potential recognising the challenges to industrial development and that the design of this comparatively small development would not negatively affect the area.