Residents lose fight to stop Stafford burger bar

Planning chiefs gave the green light for a McDonald's takeaway on The Hough retail park in Stafford.

The scheme, which includes first-floor seating and an outside eating area, drew 23 objections from residents concerned about litter, traffic, anti-social behaviour and light pollution.

Mother-of-one Kathryn Booth, who spoke to the planning committee on behalf of residents of The Crossings housing estate, acknowledged that they lived next to a retail park.

But the 37-year-old hospice worker, of Felton Close, said other outlets, such as KFC and Frankie & Bennys, were not visible from their homes.

"This will affect the views from our lounge and bedroom windows. I know I wouldn't have purchased a house at the front of the estate if I thought this was going to happen. I don't want to open my curtains and be faced by bright signs, let alone the smells and noise.

"We are just a small voice against a multi-national company but this will affect out day-to-day living," she said.

Defending the plan, Alan Mendelsohn, a spokesman for McDonald's, argued that the nearest homes, in Ranshaw Drive, were 130 metres away and that traffic would not be significantly increased by the restaurant as most of their customers would already be in town or on the retail park.

The plans had been called in for debate by ward councillors Tom Harris and Christine Baron because of concerns about increased traffic congestion and noise pollution.

Councillor Baron said: "Noise travels, especially at night and for people to be sitting outside at 9pm is too late.

"There is also already a problem with litter and I'm concerned that people will eat on their way home and discard the packaging. This is an appalling prospect for people who bought their homes in good faith."

However the meeting on Wednesday was told that McDonald's had a good reputation for picking up its own-brand litter and any other packaging in the vicinity of its restaurants.

Planning officer Robert Simpson also pointed out the houses were separated from the retail park by a main arterial road into the town which would mitigate extra noise.

Councillor Frank James said: "I don't see how we can turn them down - it's an industrial site on brownfield land. "

The plan was given the go-ahead subject to conditions.