New Toowoomba McDonald’s restaurant near Harlaxton State School draws opposition

A fast food giant’s proposal to build a new Toowoomba location on a busy road and directly opposite a primary school has drawn a backlash from some residents.

DIVIDED: A proposed McDonald's restaurant on Ruthven Street, which would sit directly opposite Harlaxton State School, has divided residents.

Residents have voiced their opposition to a planned drive-through restaurant by fast-food giant McDonald’s.

The company’s Australian arm last year submitted plans for a new stand-alone site on the corner of Ruthven and Jones Streets in Harlaxton.

The development would sit next door to Northpoint Shopping Centre and directly opposite Harlaxton State School.

It was the latter point which has caused alarm from some neighbours and locals, who lodged submissions against the proposal to the council.

New artist designs for the proposed McDonald's restaurant on Ruthven Street in Harlaxton.

Nearby resident Sharon Swan said the new restaurant would not only add to Toowoomba’s obesity issues but also create safety risks for students aged between five and 12.

“I appreciate that a considerable argument will be presented by the applicant that is will create jobs, which is fair enough, but as a fast food development the imposts on the community will far outweigh the jobs,” she wrote.

“The gobbling of these fast foods has resulted in an explosion of the physical aspect of many people resulting in obesity and its ensuing health impacts which have noticeably affected the lives of these people who just can’t resist this type of ‘food’.

“Even worse is the positioning of the proposed outlet – directly opposite a primary school, which is located on a busy four lane major arterial road in Toowoomba.

“Young children are not necessarily prone to thoughts of logic.

“Can the council guarantee to every parent and to every driver of every vehicle that passes Harlaxton State School that a child will not, due to the allure of McDonald’s, ignore the use of the pedestrian lights outside the school, and instead hedge their bet and take a short cut and dash across those four lanes?”

Fellow local Robert Dodman said the traffic created by the new restaurant would put even greater strain on roads like Jones Street.

“Many cars currently exit the shopping centre onto Jones Street and wait to enter Ruthven Street at the traffic lights,” he wrote.

“The distance between the exit and the lights allows for about four or five cars to wait for the lights to change.

“It is not hard to imagine the extreme frustration that will result from the congestion and delays caused by cars (from McDonald’s also) queuing to enter Ruthven Street at the lights.”

One submission in favour of the development came from a Downlands student, who said Toowoomba’s northern suburbs was under-supplied by fast-food outlets.

“I believe that the construction of a McDonalds fast-food outlet at the proposed site would be a great addition to the local area to build on top of Northpoint,” the student wrote.

“As a current student at Downlands College, I know that there is demand for a local fast-food outlet, as the nearest one is far out of range and delivery is not available the majority of the time.”

Town planner Urbis, writing on behalf of McDonald’s Australia, recently responded to the council’s request for further information around a number of outstanding issues.

The additional details required related to landscaping, stormwater, wastewater and noise impacts.

The council’s planning department had previously questioned the need for a new McDonald’s and asked for more evidence from the applicant on an economic basis.

The matter will go to a special council meeting in the coming months.