McDonald's wants public's views on plans for new Hucknall restaurant

Rumours of the proposals surfaced back in the summer after a Nottinghamshire Council put out a roadworks bulletin for that part of Hucknall which referenced a ‘proposed McDonald’s development’.

The council said at the time the McDonald’s reference was a ‘typo’.

But instead, the cat was out of the bag as the rumours have now turned out to be true.

The fast food giant, which already has a drive-thru restaurant in the town on Ashgate Road, says the development would regenerate an underused brownfield site and create 120 new jobs.

It has launched a public online consultation for the proposals at mcdonaldsconsultation.co.uk/hucknall/

It said: “McDonald’s is bringing forward plans to regenerate land off Aerial Way, Hucknall, transforming a 2.06-acre brownfield site into a new, modern restaurant and drive-thru.

"We want to hear your views.

"We have launched a 14-day community consultation to give residents and stakeholders the opportunity to comment on our proposals for Hucknall.”

The development would include a drive-through facility, 57 parking spaces, electric vehicle charging points and new landscaping.

However, Coun Lee Waters (Dist All), who represents Hucknall Central on Ashfield Council, has raised concerns about the potential impact on the surrounding road network, questioning whether the area can cope with additional traffic, given the proposed site is opposite a new housing development and Lidl supermarket and next to the heavily-used Watnall Road-Hucknall Bypass roundabout junction.

He said: "Whilst I welcome investment and new jobs in Hucknall, I have serious concerns about the traffic implications of putting a busy drive-through restaurant in this location.

"Anyone who regularly drives around Hucknall knows that traffic congestion is already a problem.

"The last thing we need is another development making matters worse.

"My biggest concern is the additional traffic entering and leaving the site, particularly during peak periods, and the possibility of drive-through queues affecting surrounding roads.

"It's all very well promising jobs and investment, but we also need to consider the impact on people who already live and work here.

"The developer needs to demonstrate that vehicles won't be queuing back onto Aerial Way and that the surrounding junctions can cope with the extra traffic.

"Until I'm satisfied those concerns have been properly addressed, I cannot support these proposals.”

He is also encouraging residents to have their say on the consultation

He added: "This is an opportunity for local people to make their views known before the plans progress any further.

"Hucknall needs investment, but it must be the right development in the right location.

"We shouldn't be creating traffic problems that residents will have to live with for years to come."

Hucknall county councillor Richard Darrington (Ref) also previously expressed his opposition to any plans to build a new restaurant at the site, again because of the traffic impact.”

He said at the time: “My worry is that McDonald’s want to dump something else on us on a particular stretch of road that cannot cope with it and we cannot allow it.”