Lambasted plans for a 24/7 drive-thru KFC in the car park of a Gosforth supermarket appear to have been dropped.
The proposals to open a branch of the fast food chain at the Asda in Hollywood Avenue have been widely criticised since being lodged late last year, drawing more than 100 objections – including from MP Catherine McKinnell and the nearby Gosforth Academy. And it has now emerged that, following those widespread complaints, the developers behind the scheme have withdrawn their plans.
There were 139 public objections made against the plans, a Newcastle City Council report reveals, as well as concerns from local authority noise and transport experts. Neighbours aired fears about the drive-thru causing even worse congestion and air pollution in what is already a busy part of the city, as well as the prospects of added noise, litter, vermin, and anti-social behaviour.
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One objector wrote: “Please reject this terrible proposal. It is entirely inappropriate for a quiet residential area and will be very bad for all the residents, particularly those living close to the proposed restaurant/takeaway. There will be a huge increase in traffic, which can already be very bad at peak shopping times and at the end of the school day; the smell of cooking food and rubbish and litter will be detrimental to the local environment; the noise and and no doubt periodic anti-social behaviour will be very bad for the local residents.”
Gosforth Academy warned it was "totally inappropriate" and would "send the wrong message to children that fast food is acceptable". Ms McKinnell wrote to council executive Pam Smith to say that the plans had caused "enormous distress" in the Gosforth community and that locals were "greatly concerned with this and the impact on the health of local school children", pointing out that the proposed KFC was within walking distance of six schools.
After the contentious proposal was referred to the city council’s planning committee for a decision, planning consultants RPS wrote to the local authority on behalf of site owners Euro Garages Limited last week saying they “considered the points you raised” and requested the application be withdrawn.
Former city councillor Brian Moore, who has been campaigning against the project, said on Monday that most residents had been “vehemently against KFC opening at ASDA because of the damage it would do to local school children eating there, the traffic congestion, anti-social behaviour that follows fast food restaurants, 24-hour noise, litter and disruption”.
Five people expressed support for the plans, which the planning application stated would have “no impact” on the supermarket, create up to 40 new jobs, and be a “high-quality addition” to the area.
A KFC Spokesperson said: “We’re disappointed it didn’t work out in Gosforth, but when the people speak, we like to listen. We have no further plans for a KFC in the area at the moment.”
