A petition has been launched to stop Barrhead from becoming the fast-food capital of East Renfrewshire.
McDonald’s has lodged plans for a £4 million double drive-thru development off Bowerwalls Place.
If it wins planning permission from East Renfrewshire Council it could open early next year.
Fast food giant Burger King has already started construction on the long shutdown Nestle Purina factory and a Starbucks has also been confirmed at the retail park.
However, the fast food giants have caused controversy among locals who claim that Barrhead has “a disproportionate amount of takeaways” and the new addition will affect local businesses trying to access their units.
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Online objections state: “Bowerwalls Place currently serves only the industrial units which are occupied by local businesses meaning they will not be able to access their units without having to battle all the traffic of a drive-through as well as pedestrians.
“Deliveries, customers and employees will all be affected not to mention their business productivity will be slowed as continuous access to and from throughout the day is required.
“McDonald’s proposes to place the building directly on the Glasgow Road - which will then see greater footfall, lack of privacy, noise, litter and light pollution/glare. All this extra vehicle and footfall will ultimately lead to traffic build-up and safety issues.”
Barrhead has 18.6 per cent of East Renfrewshire’s population however has a disproportionate amount of takeaways at 25.3 per cent of all takeaways in East Renfrewshire or 27.8 per cent when you add in Burger King and the new proposed McDonald’s.
Objectors state: “Barrhead has a disproportionate number of restaurants/canteens with 19.3 per cent or when counting Burger King and McDonald’s it will have 20.7 per cent - which when comparing that to the population percentage of East Renfrewshire is disproportionate.
“With Burger King already receiving planning permission, along with Dominoes, Greggs and Subway within a 0.5-mile radius of the proposed site there is a disproportionate level of conglomerate food establishments already presiding within the small town of Barrhead. “
East Renfrewshire has various strategies both at local and national levels in regards to health and in particular the rising levels of obesity in children.
The petition reads: “This proposal is within a 0.5-mile radius of three schools – two primary and one secondary. Therefore, with the addition of these new fast-food premises, East Renfrewshire’s Council will contravene their commitment and responsibilities to these health strategies.”
The positive to the proposed fast food chain is that it will bring jobs to the area but objectors claim “the negatives far outweigh this in regards to the impact another large chain will bring.”
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