Toowoomba McDonald’s in Harlaxton set for approval amid court appeal
A new McDonald’s looks set to be built opposite a school according to documents, and it’s causing concern among neighbours and families in the immediate area.
Development
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Families who could soon live within metres of a drive-through McDonald’s restaurant are weighing up their futures in the area as the proposal looks set to get approved through the courts.
Harlaxton will almost certainly get the new eatery after documents revealed both McDonald’s and the Toowoomba Regional Council had reached an agreement through mediation back in December, subject to an order from the planning and environment court.
It comes six months after the councillors rejected the proposal on the corner of Ruthven and Jones Streets, opposite Northpoint Shopping Centre on one side and facing Harlaxton State School across the main road.
The grounds for refusal were based on impacts around traffic, acoustics and amenity, and that it would result in “strip development and ad hoc expansion of the existing ‘centre’”.
McDonald’s had first proposed the new location nearly two years ago on land owned by prominent developer Ian Knox.
Mother-of-four Leilani Whitney, who rents a home less than 20 metres from where the drive-through lane would be, said the potential of a new fast food restaurant so close to her children’s school was concerning.
“We were concerned that it was going through because the primary school is there and our children go there, and they walk to and from school every day,” she said.
“It’s dangerous, it will just cause more traffic – we’ve already (seen) a few children have a few incidents crossing the road and cars not watching, so it just adds to it all.
“We would consider moving, because it is dangerous for the kids, but were already considering moving because we rent.”
Pete Carlish, who lives next door to where it will go, told The Chronicle in July last year he was preparing to sell to avoid the traffic right by his house.
As of this week, it is still on the market.
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