The fast food giant’s latest expansion in Cork
McDonald’s wants to open another drive thru (Image: McDonald’s)
McDonald’s has lodged planning permission for a new drive-thru restaurant in East Cork as part of a €150m nationwide expansion.
As part of plans to open five new Irish restaurants per year between now and 2031, the company is requesting permission to build a new location at the Fota Retail & Business Park in Carrigtwohill.
McDonald’s has sought permission for a single-story restaurant with an attached drive-thru, order points, indoor and outdoor seating areas and all associated signage. The company has also requested permission for parking and EV charging spaces, bike spaces, a new access road and landscaping works.
The fast-food giant employs more than 1,100 people across its Cork locations, and this new location could add as many as 100 new jobs to the area.
Planning permission was lodged with Cork County Council on Friday, and anyone who wants to submit an observation or object to the proposed development has until September 24 to make their voice heard. A decision will be made by the planning department in mid-October.
The popular American chain is aiming to open 25 new restaurants nationwide over the next five years, and if approved, this would be its 11th location in Cork.
Speaking about the expansion in April of this year, Vice President, Development at McDonald’s UK & Ireland, Mike Spencer said: “The outlook for McDonald’s in Ireland is very positive, and we have a clear plan to invest more than €150 million here over the next five years. That investment will support the opening of up to five new restaurants each year – around 25 in total – and the creation of approximately 1,750 new jobs across the country.
“We plan that our 50th anniversary in Ireland next year will coincide with the opening of our 100th restaurant in Ireland.”
Elsewhere in Cork, a major planning decision denied permission to more than 1,100 new homes in Ballincollig.
Cork City Council have refused the submission for the massive development of 1,150 homes at Maglin in Ballincollig. Developers O’Flynn Group had looked to build a mix of 638 dwelling houses as well as 512 apartments across 9 blocks, ranging in height between 3-5 storeys.
Cork City Council gave three main reasons for refusing permission. The first was that the proposed development would be “premature pending delivery of the South Ballincollig Sustainable Transport Corridor.” They added the new homes would therefore be “excessively car-dependent, would not facilitate the safe movement of all road users” and would not create needed transport infrastructure.
They also stated that the local road network, particularly Maglin Road, does not have suitable vehicle, pedestrian and cyclist facilities to safely serve families in a major new housing development. In the Council’s final reason for refusal, it said that the developer’s Environmental Impact Assessment Report and other documents do not “adequately describe” the development’s environmental impacts.