McDonald's reveals opening date of new Samlesbury restaurant as work gets underway

Fast food giant McDonald’s has shared exclusive details with us on the progress of its new site planned near Preston.

Back in January, permission was granted for a new McDonald’s Drive Thru on wasteland off junction 31 of the M6 in Samlesbury.

The 24-hour eatery, which was given the green light by South Ribble Borough Council’s planning committee, will stand on Preston New Road in front of an existing non-motorway services area and the neighbouring Tickled Trout Hotel.

There has been little update on the site since plans were approved but various recent developments prompted us to approach McDonald’s for the latest news.

They did not disappoint, with McDonald’s finally revealing when it hopes to open the new restaurant.

The first of these developments comes in the form of a new planning application submitted to South Ribble’s planners last week.

McDonald’s is currently seeking permission to discharge condition 12 (lighting strategy) attached to the original planning permission for the Samlesbury development.

The agent, a senior planner from Lichfields, explains this is because they believe the requirements have now been met.

The planning application form states that work on the development has not yet started but this form was dated June 30 2026.

The application was only officially validated on August 4 so that is not to say that the situation has not changed in that time.

Additionally, yesterday three months’ worth of major roadworks began in South Ribble which we know to be connected to the new McDonald’s.

There will be a lane closure on the A59 Preston New Road and temporary traffic lights on the access road to the Tickled Trout Hotel from Monday, August 10 until Friday, October 30.

The operator, independent contractor Advanced Electricity Networks confirmed the works are being undertaken “to enable a new electricity network connection and form part of an essential infrastructure project to support current and future electricity demand in the area”.

Whilst Advanced Electricity Networks do not explain why there may be more demand for electricity in the area, the log on Lancashire County Council’s roadworks bulletin reveals it could be due to the new McDonald’s site.

Both the lane closure and the temporary traffic lights are noted as being necessary to allow for the “installation of electrical ducting, 2 x HV ducts for new McDonalds”.

We approached McDonald’s to ask if both these developments meant they were in a position to tell us more about the Samlebsury store, including whether work has begun, if they had an estimated opening date and if they had any further details about what we can expect from the store.

In response, a spokesperson confirmed that work was underway and that they even had an eye on an opening date.

A McDonald’s spokesperson told the Post: “We’re pleased to be progressing with our new site in Samlesbury, with the ambition of opening the restaurant this winter.”

Whilst the firm did not provide any further details about the new Mcdonad’s just yet, the approved plans from earlier in the year stated that the site will have space for 50 diners and the development will create an estimated 70 jobs.

For traffic leaving the motorway and for westbound A59 vehicles, the outlet will be accessed via the same roundabout exit as the services and hotel. Eastbound traffic, leaving Preston, will gain access from the slip road entrance that already leads to the hotel. However, a direct access point off that route will be blocked off.

Twenty-nine parking spaces will be available, along with two bays for motorists waiting for food. Drive-thru traffic will circulate the building in a clockwise direction.