Villagers not lovin' 'dangerous' McDonald's plan

Sue Bussey has lived on The Castle Way - near the village of Willington in Derbyshire - for more than 60 years, and has spent a lot of time fighting planning applications for land opposite her home.

But she says the latest one is "almost the worst thing that could happen."

Fast food giant McDonald's wants to open a 24-hour restaurant and drive-through on Sue's road, which is also the entry and exit slipway on to the A38.

"It is dangerous," she told BBC Radio Derby. "We've lived here a long time, I have attended accidents on this road many times. We've seen cars drive off the A38 straight into this site."

South Derbyshire District Council unanimously rejected McDonald's proposals at a committee meeting in April.

However, the chain has appealed against the decision with the HM Planning Inspectorate.

"When I was a child before the flyover was built, it had cows on it to start with, we played cricket on it as kids and later on, planning started to come in," Sue said.

"It got more prevalent and very much a part of our yearly life was standing up in front of the council saying, 'please don't'."

The proposed site is currently a skip storage facility, which was also initially rejected by the council but granted permission on appeal.

The application has so far had 235 objections and more than 100 indications of support.

Ian Hudson, one of the Labour district councillors for Willington and Findern, said: "I've never known an application like it with the amount of engagement from the public.

"McDonald's had a well-funded social media campaign at the time, on Facebook, where a few swipes on your mobile phone could log your name and support at the district council.

"I had one chap contact me by email and I engaged a little bit in conversation, and it turned out he actually had never visited Willington, he wasn't even quite sure where Willington was but he did like McDonald's.

"I'm comparing those sorts of supporters to objectors who are ex-policemen, ex-traffic cops that have sent me emails with photographs of accidents and it's not really like-for-like."

Katie Castle, another resident on The Castle Way, has been living there for just over three years and said: "It has made us debate wanting to live here, it's not something you really want facing your own front door.

"If you try and come down this road anytime after school and between rush-hour, it's already backed up past here, it's just going to get more and more congested."

When asked what she would do if the appeal is successful, she said: "Honestly, we would think about maybe moving."

It's not just the residents of The Castle Way who think the proposals are problematic.

Diane Stevenson, who owns Cottage Garden Florist in Willington, just under a mile from the proposed site, said: "I just don't think it's a safe junction, there's not enough of a slip road for you pulling off on to the A38, on to a 70mph road from such a short slip road.

"It's dangerous as it is now, so extra traffic coming through that junction, I just don't think it's a good idea."

A spokesperson for McDonald's said: "We're excited about the opportunity to open a new site in Derbyshire, and await the decision regarding our appeal."

The public has until 16 December to share its views with the Planning Inspectorate, with a decision expected early next year.

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