Councillors advised to reject second McDonald's

Councillors are being advised to reject plans for a second McDonald's drive-through restaurant in Dumfries.

The burger giant already operates in the Lochside area but wants to open another facility near the Annan Road, close to the town's bypass.

The company ruled out a number of other potential locations before selecting the site.

However, planning officials have recommended Dumfries and Galloway Council reject the bid due to its visual impact and the failure to demonstrate it could not have found a more "appropriate site".

Planning regulations dictate that an assessment must be carried out of potential town centre sites before developing at an out-of-town location.

The fast food firm ruled out a wide variety of buildings or land in Dumfries before settling on its preferred location.

McDonald's estimates the development could create about 80 jobs and would represent a multi-million pound investment in the town.

It has argued the second restaurant would improve its ability to serve the local market by providing residents in the east of the town with better access and easing pressure on its existing drive-through.

Council planning officers have concluded it has not been "satisfactorily demonstrated" that it could not have been located elsewhere.

They also found it would "not accord with the objectives of local living and would be overreliant on the use of private transport".

The final grounds being recommended for refusal is its "unduly detrimental visual impact" with the loss of "semi-natural vegetation" and its replacement with a "development of limited design quality".