COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

Fast food restaurant McDonalds will be able to open 21 hours a day in Walsgrave - despite complaints from neighbours.


McDonalds as seen from the Hinckley Road side

Last year, Coventry planners turned down a bid by McDonald’s to extend opening hours at its Wigston Road outlet in Walsgrave.

But the burger giant appealed and the Planning Inspectorate has now overturned the council’s decision, giving the extension the go ahead.

It means McDonald’s, in Wigston Road can now open from 5am through to 2am.

Coventry council’s planning committee turned down the application on August 19 last year saying the extension of opening hours would create extra noise and disturbance early in the morning and late at night.

But a planning inspector upheld McDonald’s’ appeal and awarded costs against the council saying the planning committee gave too much weight to the letters of objection and petitions rather than, as an inspector said, “uncontested technical evidence” in relation to the noise that would be generated.

Coun Kevin Maton, who chairs Coventry’s planning committee, said: “I am extremely disappointed.

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