Plans to build a new A14 service station featuring a McDonald’s drive-thru restaurant have been given the final green light.
Babergh District Council’s planning committee approved the application to build a drive-thru restaurant for McDonald’s and a petrol station on land north of Bobbit’s Lane in Wherstead in July.
Now the plans have been given full planning permission, meaning that work can start on the site at any time.
The application, by major services operator Euro Garages Ltd and Pigeon Investment Management Ltd, will also feature junction improvements to the two teardrop-shaped roundabouts of the A137, close to the A14 junction 56, into more conventional circular shapes.
Changes to reduce the speed limit, there from 60mph to 40mph, are also planned.
MORE: Decision made on new McDonald’s drive-thru as speed limit changes unveiledThe development is set to create around 20 full time and 40 part time jobs.
At the council meeting in July, Matthew Wyatt, agent on behalf of the developers, said that Euro Garages managed well over 4,000 service stations across the UK, Europe, Australia and the US.
He said most of the traffic using the site would be passing vehicles.
MORE: New A14 service station with drive-thru restaurants to be builtHe added: “As such, we don’t aim to compete with similar restaurant and retail businesses in built-up centres.
“The application does include transport improvements, including replacement of sub-standard roundabouts which will increase capacity, thus reducing congestion.”
Orwell ward district councillor Jane Gould said: “As the ward councillor, I spoke at the planning committee meeting and took the same position as Wherstead Parish Council, which was to raise objections to the application for reasons of the cumulative impact on the villagers of Wherstead.
“I am not on the planning committee and consequently do not have a vote.
“I think that the only material consideration that could have been raised to oppose the application was that of the cumulative impact.
“As a Green Party district councillor, it is my opinion that the planning system needs to be reformed so as to allow planning committees to reject plans that encourage the use of fossil fuelled vehicles.
“As a climate and ecological crisis has been declared, we need our actions to reflect the crisis the planet finds itself in.”
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