A new McDonald’s drive-thru in Cradley Heath would save fast food fans travelling further afield, restaurant chain says

The fast food chain wants to open a new eatery on the site of Cradley Kawasaki on the junction of St Anne’s Road and Foxoak Street.

A consultation on the plan is taking place with Cradley Heath residents, traders and shoppers urged to have their say on the multi-million pound scheme ahead of a planning application submission to Sandwell Council.

McDonald’s says its proposals will regenerate the area - and in a statement on its consultation website it says: “The current buildings on the site are not up to standard and are scheduled for demolition.

“The proposed restaurant and drive thru will feature a new restaurant design and will blend into the surrounding area within a prominent position in Cradley Heath.”

It says the proposals, if approved, “would help to ensure the site continues to be well maintained and contributes to the local economy, rather than remaining empty” although it is currently occupied by Cradley Kawasaki which has been trading since 1974.

The statement outlining more detail about the plans adds: “The layout of the site has been carefully designed for the operation of a restaurant and drive-thru. Internally, the design of the restaurant will create a bright, lively, modern, and contemporary feel for our customers, providing a comfortable dining experience.”

Externally, the development would include soft landscaping including the planting of trees, hedges and shrubs to provide habitats for wildlife, plus 30 customer car parking bays including accessible spaces and EV charge points and bicycle spaces, plus routes for safe vehicle and pedestrian movements.

McDonald’s says it has a “a long history of offering amazing value and high-quality food in the UK and believe there is demand for a McDonald’s restaurant to serve this area of Cradley Heath” - adding that the plans to create a new eatery in the area would save fans of the fast food chain from travelling further afield.

It says the proposed development would create up to 90 new jobs for local people, enhance the appearance of the area and bring in significant investment.

The multi-national business says it is undertaking a transport assessment as part of its planning application to ensure the proposed restaurant would not have a significant impact on surrounding roads.

It adds that odour and noise assessments will form part of the planning application - highlighting how these issues would be addressed and mitigated; and the fast food firm adds that three daily litter picks around the site would be carried out to keep the area tidy.

Neil Sebright, general manager at Cradley Kawasaki, said the popular motorcycle dealership, which trades from the site, will remain in situ until a deal with McDonald's is done and funds from the sale of the land will be put towards relocating the business into more suitable, modern premises within the area.

He said: “We’re still here and open for business. As part of the sale of the site to McDonald’s we’ll be relocating.”

Mr Sebright told the Express & Star the existing premises need too much work carried out for a viable upgrade and he added: "The site is too big for what we need."

It's understood a suitable alternative location for the dealership is currently being sought. In the meantime, Mr Sebright stressed: "We're still trading here until the sale is concluded or until new premises are found."