McDonald's to open new drive-thru restaurant near Asda in Clayton-Le-Woods

McDonald's has revealed plans to open a new drive-thru restaurant on the site of a former pub in Clayton-Le-Woods.

It wants to demolish the Beaumont pub and replace it with a new drive-thru near the Asda superstore in Clayton Green Road.

The fast-food giant said it has "long wanted to expand in this area" and said "the site is an ideal location for a new drive-thru restaurant".

The nearest McDonald's are currently the Leyland drive-thru, three miles away and two McDonald's in Chorley, both around 4.5 miles away at Tesco Extra in Southport Road and Clifford Street in the town centre.

A planning application is being prepared for submission to Chorley Council. If approved, the new drive-thru restaurant would create approximately 120 new jobs, said McDonald's.

What do we know about the new McDonald's?

Proposals for the new McDonald’s drive-thru restaurant include an outdoor seating and 43 parking spaces - including two accessible spaces and two Electric Vehicle Charging Point spaces. Cycle parking spaces will also be provided.

The restaurant will be accessed via an existing junction on Woodale Road, next to the Asda superstore, with new signage to be installed at the entrance.

Recycling and waste bins across the site and at least three daily litter picks to collect all litter in the vicinity of the restaurant, not just McDonald’s packaging.

The new drive-thru would also benefit from landscaping and new tree planting, as well as plant species beneficial to pollinators.

McDonald's added that measures will be taken "to ensure neighbours are not adversely impacted by the operation of the restaurant". This will include retaining existing trees along the boundary "to provide effective visual screening", as well as a sensitive lighting scheme to limit lighting spill beyond the site boundary.

McDonald's said measures will also be taken to limit cooking odours from its ventilation systems.

What happens next?

A Transport Assessment will be submitted as part of the planning application which will consider the impacts of the proposed development on the local road network.

McDonald's said the scheme, based on studies undertaken to date, "is not expected to have a significant impact on the safety or capacity of the local road network".

McDonald's added that the new restaurant will be locally franchised and will support a programme of community sponsorship and volunteering in Clayton-le-Woods.

If approved, the new drive-thru would generate around £60,000 in business rates each year, said McDonald's, with some of the cash retained by Chorley Council to help fund key local services.

You can view the plans from McDonald's here.

Statement from McDonald's

A spokesperson for McDonald's said: "We are excited to be bringing forward proposals for a new McDonald’s restaurant in Clayton-le-Woods and are currently preparing a planning application for submission to Chorley Council.

"If approved, our plans will bring a previously developed site back into use and deliver new jobs and investment.

"The site is an ideal location for a new drive-thru restaurant. It is located in an existing commercial area, and already benefits from a safe, established access

"Subject to planning approval, our proposals would provide a local fast-food restaurant in a convenient location for the people of Clayton-le-Woods and the surrounding area, helping to enhance food choices locally.

"The creation of a new drive-thru restaurant would also deliver a range of benefits, including significant investment into the local economy and the creation of approximately 120 new jobs, in a range of full- and part-time positions.

"We recognise that whilst the site is part of a wider commercial area, there are residential properties nearby. We take our responsibility to our neighbours very seriously and have embedded a range of measures in our emerging proposals to ensure local residents are not adversely impacted by the scheme."