A $20m fast food hub approved for Edinburgh North as childcare centre plan gets dropped

Multiple drive-through fast food restaurants are set to make up a new $20m fast food hub in Adelaide’s burgeoning north.

Multiple fast food restaurants including KFC are planned for the Edinburgh North development. Picture: Supplied

A $20m hub comprising three drive-through fast food restaurants and a major retail shop has been approved for Adelaide’s north, while plans for a childcare centre at the same spot were withdrawn in response to council feedback.

Playford Council’s development panel on Thursday granted planning consent for the Edinburgh North hub, which will include a KFC, Hungry Jack’s, another drive-through fast food restaurant and a national retail chain store.

The developers – Hamish and Will Brown of Leyton Property, and Roger and JP Drake of Drakes Supermarkets – withdrew plans for a 119-place childcare centre on the same land after council staff recommended refusing the application because it was not deemed a desired land use under the zoning.

Hungry Jack's is also planned to set up shop at the $20m development. Picture: Supplied

In a report, council staff said higher-impacting land uses under the zoning including “general industry, warehouse, transport distribution” would “have a high potential to impact upon children attending the proposed child care facility, primarily in the form of noise, vibration or air quality”.

Hamish Brown told The Advertiser the developers planned to “refine our concept” before submitting improved childcare centre plans to Playford Council.

“I think it actually sits very well within that type of zoning”, he said.

“There’s plenty of people out there employed within a two or three kilometre radius, and they should equally have somewhere to be able to send their kids to childcare, just like everyone else does.”

The fast food hub will be built on land jointly owned by the Brown and Drake families, beside a major Drakes Supermarkets distribution centre on Stebonheath Rd, 200 metres from a McDonalds and Liberty petrol station.

Concept images show plans for the 24 hour drive-through sites. Picture: Supplied

A childcare centre was also submitted for development but council were concerned over the surrounding general industry, warehouse and transport distribution zoning. Picture: Supplied

Mr Brown said he expected construction to begin early next year for an opening in mid to late 2026.

“It’ll be another high quality convenience retail offering,” Mr Brown said.

“In Edinburgh North and the surrounding areas, there’s a large commercial and industrial precinct that probably has a lack of retail food offerings.

“People don’t have many options outside of bringing their lunch to work.”

The Hungry Jack’s and other major fast food restaurants would be 24/7 drive-through sites. The KFC would close at 12am and the general retail store at 5.30pm.

Mr Brown said the unnamed tenants were “major national retailers” that could not yet be revealed because of confidentiality agreements – but he confirmed Drakes Supermarket would not be a tenant.

He said the developers were confident an amended plan for the childcare centre would meet the council’s requirements.

Originally published as A $20m fast food hub approved for Edinburgh North as childcare centre plan gets dropped