McDonalds Refused for a fifth time!!!



Cllr Judith Elliott with residents at the site visit

 We are celebrating a decision by Leeds City Councils Plans Panel last Thursday to refuse planning permission for a McDonalds Fast Food Take-away at the White Bear site in Tingley for a fifth time. The refusal decision follows on from four previous refused applications and a further refusal decision by a Planning Inspector on appeal.


My colleague Cllr Judith Elliott commented “We are delighted that Councillors have again refused this planning application We have consistently said this is the wrong location for a fast food take-away because of Highways safety issues and its proximity to Woodkirk High School.”

The application was refused following a site visit in the morning and a two hour debate on the afternoon where Councillors voted down the application.

Over 30 residents turned up at the site visit which was good humoured and gave Councillors a useful insight into the concerns residents had. Many of the same residents attended the Panel Meeting in the afternoon to listen to the debate.

Councillors refused planning permission for the application after listening to speakers from the local residents group and Woodkirk High School. Representatives from McDonalds spoke at the meeting but were not able to convince councillors to grant planning permission.

The application was refused because Councillors had concerns about Highway Safety and the impact on residential amenity for the homes adjacent to the site. We also refused planning permission because of the negative impact a McDonalds would have on the health and safety of children attending Woodkirk High School.

McDonalds appealed an earlier refusal decision which will be considered at a Public Inquiry in March and we will be there to continue to battle on behalf of residents.

Judgement Day for McDonalds

The controversial planning application for a McDonalds take-away at the White Bear site in Tingley will be considered next Thursday when a City Council Plans Panel will decide if the application should be refused for a fifth time. McDonald’s have previously lodged four earlier applications for their take-away in a residential location all of which have been rejected by Leeds City Council with an appeal against one of the refusal decisions upheld by a Planning Inspector.

It is decision day for this fifth McDonalds application. The Plans Panel will visit the site at 11.20am on Thursday morning and will debate the application on Thursday afternoon from 1.30pm at Leeds Civic Hall. I would urge residents to turn up to the site visit so that Plans Panel members are clear about the strength of opposition to this plan.

Campaigners have stated that the proposal for a McDonald’s drive through take-away at the location would reduce Highways Safety and that the development would increase anti-social behaviour and litter in a residential area.

My colleague Cllr Wyn Kidger, who lives close to the site, tells me “This is the wrong location for a McDonalds. Their take-aways should be in Town Centres not in residential areas. The local community has lodged thousands of objections over the years these proposals have been pursued and I hope the plans Panel will reject the application.”