Councillors come out in favour of new McDonald’s

PLANS for a McDonald’s restaurant and drive-thru at Cairnryan are cooking with gas after councillors stated their intention to approve the application.

Members of the council’s planning committee discussed the proposal at a meeting on Wednesday.

And they controversially decided to go against officers’ recommendation to refuse it.

Case officer David Hearton had laid out the reasons for the refusal, which included concerns about emissions and that the chosen site, of the former Lochryan Hotel, would be over reliant on private transport, resulting in increased traffic during peak times.

He said: “This application has been applied for in order to capture ferry traffic and I think the application does not recognise the amount of additional and new trips that are going to arise in placing this development here.

“Transport Scotland in their consultation response did not have any data to dispute that and it is on that basis that they did not object, Transport Scotland’s non-objection to this consultation should not be construed as support for this application.”

However there were several speakers during the meeting that supported the proposal.

One of those was Tracey Davidson, who lives at Cairnryan, and said: “McDonald’s are going to invest £4 million in an area that is absolutely dying on its feet at the moment. They’re going to create 120 plus jobs, they’re going to pay much needed rates into the council as well as remove a total eyesore of a derelict building off the street scene and replace it with a modern state-of-the-art building.

“We need to start with investment and jobs, investment attracts more investment so do the right thing, and give the people in the west of the region a bit of hope.”

Stranraer and Rhins Cllr Julie Currie also spoke out in support of the application, adding: “McDonald’s investment would provide a vibrant ‘we’re open for business’ signal. Recently this area has been hit with significant job losses and uncertainty, namely the Factory Shop, Alliance and Leister, Lactalis creamery and the potential concern around what was W H Smith and most recently Carrs Billington.

“By supporting this application, there is real opportunity to bring much needed employment to this rural area.”

Following a number of questions from elected members, Councillor Andy McFarlane proposed to approve the application, seconded by Councillor Archie Dryburgh, making an exception to the region’s local development plan ‘due to the benefits of the area’.

But the official approval has been postponed subject to an additional bat survey and further legal advice.