Fresh plans lodged to enlarge McDonalds' drive thru outlet at new Claughton trade park

A planned McDonald's drive thu - along with a Starbucks, Screwfix and other units - earmarked for a new trade park near Gastang will be increased in size if new proposals get the go ahead.

Outline planning permission was granted by Wyre planners in August last year for an application which included a 400 square metre café/restaurant for the Claughton-on-Brock Trade Park, along with the other units.

Now a new application includes plans to increase the McDonalds cafe/restaurant to 523 square metres and is also seeking a 24 hour opening time for it.

The latest proposals, validated on Jan 17, are for proposed mixed-use development comprising of 3 storage and distribution units (Use Class B8), 1 office Unit (Use Class E(g)(i)) and 2 cafe/restaurant units with drive-thru (Use Class E(b)/Sui Generis), including creation of a new access and associated works.

The plans for a new trade park, located just over two miles from Garstang, have divided residents in and and around the area.

One resident posted on social media: "This will result in a constant nuisance from vehicles, drive through intercom and smells from the restaurant would surely have a detrimental impact on significant number of neighbouring houses."

A community involvement statement on Wyre Council's planning portal showed that there were 56 per cent of people, of more than 200 correpsondants, against the plans.

Some 35 per cent were in favour, while 8 per cent were undecided.

Of those supporting the move, one person stated on social media: "My nearest McDonald's is 20 minutes away in Preston Docks so this gets my vote."

Those wishing to comment on the planning application, whether to support it oppose it, have until Wednesday February 7 to get their comments in to the Wyre planning portal.

The application number is: 23/01219/FULMAJ