Councillors have voted to give the green light to a new drive-thru despite objections from nearby residents.
Plans for a petrol station, coffee shop and drive-thru restaurant in Flemington Industrial Park were this week discussed by North Lanarkshire Council’s Planning Committee.
At the meeting itself, six votes were received for an amendment to refuse but 12 elected members opted to approve the plans with one abstention.
Central Wishaw SNP councillor Fiona Fotheringham tabled the motion not to grant the application which was seconded by Wishaw’s Conservative councillor Bob Burgess.
Councillor Burgess said: “The most galling thing is we have at least 20 food outlets in a two-mile radius of the site all trying to make a living from fast food.
“The convenience of a drive-thru with a massive parking area is a disaster for the smaller players in the town.
“Councillor Agnes Magowan and Councillor Fotheringham related their concerns about the number of objections received and Councillor Fotheringham tabled a motion not to grant which I seconded.
“Unfortunately we lost the vote.”
The council report states: “The proposal is considered to be an acceptable departure from the adopted Local Plan and is acceptable in terms of its transportation and environmental impacts.
“The proposed development is not of significant scale to have a significant impact on the other retail centres within Wishaw and Motherwell and is considered to meet a localised demand for such services.
“The proposed commercial development is considered to be an acceptable departure in this instance given the site’s identification as having alternative development potential within the Local Plan designation for the site which recognises the current challenges to industrial development within this location.
“Furthermore the proposals would not result in a detrimental impact on the remainder of the operations of the existing industrial area.”
A total of 33 objections were received outlining concerns in relation to the proliferation of fast food outlets in the area, impact on efforts to alleviate obesity and promote healthy living and the potential impact on existing businesses within the industrial site.
Two representations in support of the application and two objecting were received outwith the notification period.
One objector to the plans stated: “The area of Motherwell and Wishaw do not require further fast food restaurants.
“There are already four within a 1.5 miles radius of Flemington roundabout. What does this say to our children and young adults when we flood the area with these businesses?”
