McDonalds new 24/7 restaurant in Chatswood hits opposition from council, local businesses

Staff at a long-running business say they could be forced to relocate as part of plans to turn their site into a new 24/7 McDonald’s outlet.

A concept photo of the new McDonalds planned for the suburb.

A bun fight is brewing between fast food giant McDonald’s and Willoughby Council over plans for a new 24/7 Maccas outlet at Chatswood East.

A warehouse and office building at 18-22 Smith St would be demolished to make way for a new McDonald’s restaurant as part of a $8.2m plans released this month.

Development plans show the new fast food restaurant would stand two storeys tall and operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The store would have 26 car parks, a dual lane drive-through lane for up to 13 vehicles and waiting bays for customers to collect food.

The release of plans has prompted concerns from Willoughby Council over permissibility of a food restaurant within the zoning of the light industrial area.

A concept image of the new store.

The Chatswood East light industrial and business precinct is a major employment zone in the area, servicing surrounding suburbs including Roseville and Castle Cove.

The release of plans has taken current tenants at the Smith St site by shock, including staff at Chatswood Tyre & Auto Centre which operated at the site for 20 years.

A photo of the site, planned to be turned into a McDonald’s store.

Mechanic Colin Lee said staff had not been made aware of the plans.

“I may be a bit biased but I don’t think there’s any need for a McDonald’s in this part of Chatswood,” he said. “None of the boys here want to be flipping burgers – we’re happy flipping tyres, not burgers.

“We’ve been here for 20 years and have a lot of loyal customers in the area.”

Plans by McDonald’s state the restaurant would address customer demand in an area and primarily cater for customers picking up food via the drive-through services.

A concept photo of the new McDonalds outlet.

The development would cost more than $8 million to build.

“The area is experiencing significant and transformative change in demographic, retail and built form,” McDonalds said in its plans.

“(The new restaurant) will deliver a number of social and economic benefits including employment generation through the construction and continuing operation.”

Development plans show the entire upper level of the restaurant would be dedicated to servicing drive-through customers.

Cars would be able to access the site via purpose built driveways on Smith and Lower Gibbs St. The proposal also includes new landscaping, signage works and loading bays.

Up to 12 people would be employed at the store at any one time. The development plans remain under assessment by the council.