South Gloucestershire Green Party has voiced its objection to the plans for a new fast-food drive-thru restaurant in the car park of Asda’s Longwell Green store.
The Green say the plans are “completely incompatible with the need to tackle problems like air pollution, climate change and childhood obesity”.
The site overlooks Barrs Court Primary School, which has already objected to the plans, and is also next door to Busy Bees Nursery.
The plans that have been submitted to South Gloucestershire Council for a restaurant and hot food takeaway, including a dedicated ‘drive-thru’ facility, are for the eastern corner of the supermarket’s car park at Craven Way.
What brand it will be is not revealed in the planning application from Euro Garages Ltd, part of the EG Group which owns Asda.
South Glos Greens’ co-ordinator Dan Johnston said: “Not only will the presence of the new restaurant encourage unhealthy eating, it will expose children to environmental hazards like litter and exhaust fumes.
“The plans also ignore the severity of the climate emergency and local problems with air quality.
“Traffic into the Asda car park is already bad at peak times and the proposal will only make things worse.
“Users of the supermarket, petrol station and restaurant would all be funnelling through the same entrance and exit. This is bound to cause disruption for local residents and have a disastrous impact on air quality in Barrs Court.
“There are more than enough restaurants in the local area. Aspects Leisure Park and Aldermoor Way both have plenty of places to get food. It’s the wrong place and the wrong time to be building more.
“The proposals have already received over 70 objections, and South Gloucestershire Green Party stands firm with local residents in opposition to the plans.”
Concerns include increased traffic and pollution, late-night noise, late night noise, anti-social behaviour and litter.
One resident observed that the arrival of competition in the Longwell Green area, in the shape of Aldi and Lidl, has reduced Asda’s turnover and utilisation of their site, adding. “I dread to think what other hair-brained solutions are in the minds of Asda management.”
30 jobs
The plans are currently being considered by South Gloucestershire planners but the council’s economic development team have said they have no objection in principle to the new facility, which would create 30 jobs.
However, with the Priority Neighbourhood of Cadbury Heath nearby, they are keen to see the applicant encourage successful job applications from the local labour market and for local suppliers registered in South Gloucestershire to be used for the build should the plans be approved.
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