McDonald’s Drive-Thru restaurant at Aspects Leisure Park in Longwell Green can stay open an extra three hours longer every day, despite local concerns about safety and noise.
The fast food giant will be able to open from 5am to 2am instead of 6am to midnight on the condition that they provide a detailed revised site management plan for South Gloucestershire Council to approve, including security measures and plans for reducing potential noise within the car park.
Three previous applications to extend the restaurant’s opening hours – in 2007, 2008 and 2009 – were all unsuccessful. The reason for refusal in all three related to the potential generation of noise and the impact this could have on people living nearby.
McDonald’s prepared a detailed noise impact assessment for the council which summarises that there would be no significant noise even if the Drive-Thru restaurant was to open 24 hours a day.
The report says that people living in the area already experience a degree of existing background noise at night time because of the ring road and the 24-hour Asda store nearby.
A Kingsfield Lane resident outlined their fears in a letter to the council, saying: “The ring road is one of Bristol’s most dangerous roads with two deaths in the last six months. It would be irresponsible to encourage traffic to enter the area when the street lights have been turned off.
“It will also encourage people to stay on the site when most of the other businesses are closed. It is situated in one of the high risk areas for crime and police call-outs. Allowing this change of hours would put extra strain on the police at what will be a busy time, when Chasers in Kingswood and pubs in Kingswood are closing.
“The noise levels around this area caused by drag racing and performance cars would be increased. The point that the opening times mean they are only closed for three hours a day could encourage people to hang around the area for 24 hours a day, causing an unacceptable level of disturbance in the area to other residents.
“The smell of cooking would be admitted in the air for 21 hours a day making it impossible for residents to have their windows open without causing an inconvenience.”
