McDonald's plan a 'complete disaster', MP claims

An MP has said opening a fast food restaurant along the route of a notorious bar crawl would be "a complete disaster".

McDonald's has applied to Leeds City Council to open a new branch at the site of the former Wilko store at Headingley Central on Otley Road.

Alex Sobel, Labour MP for Leeds Central and Headingley, said the plans were "completely out of keeping with the area" and would "exacerbate anti-social behaviour, noise and littering problems associated with the Otley run".

A McDonald's spokesperson said it would strive to be "a good neighbour" and wanted to work with the local community to "address any concerns they may have".

Sobel claimed the proposed new restaurant was the "equivalent" of McDonald's largest existing restaurant in the city, located on Briggate.

Opening an outlet of the same size in Headingley would be a "complete disaster", he said and "completely out of keeping with the area".

"Residents and local businesses would clearly suffer through diminished property values and in terms of their day-to-day quality of life," he added.

The impact of the Otley Run has divided locals, with the number of participants taking part each weekend now said to be in the thousands.

Sobel previously objected to plans for a McDonald's on a different part of Otley Road, which were eventually withdrawn.

Headingley and Hyde Park councillors Jonathan Pryor and Abdul Hannan have also voiced their opposition to the latest plans for the vacant unit, which has been empty since July.

Last month bar and restaurant chain Loungers UK was refused an alcohol license for the former Wilko store amid 99 objections.

Student Rose Hubble said she loved the idea of a McDonald's in Headingley.

"It would be great to be nearby and just be able to get some chips when you want them," said the 22-year-old.

"The nearest one is far. I was surprised that there's not one closer. This is student-central."

Gabe Lawson, a 31-year-old doctor who lives in Headingley, said there were already "a million" places where people could get food in the area, while his partner Michaela Proctor, said she missed the independent shops.

"When I moved here nearly 10 years ago all of this was independent, now it's all chains," said the 28-year-old.

In a planning statement McDonald's said its application "accords" with the Headingley Neighbourhood Plan because it would result in "improvements to the external appearance of buildings".

A spokesperson said: "We are excited about the opportunity to open a new restaurant in Headingley, bringing significant investment and new jobs to the local area.

"At McDonald's we strive to be a good neighbour in the communities in which we operate and we look forward to working together with the local community and stakeholders to address any concerns they may have."

A decision is expected in the coming months.

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