Residents protest new Claremont McDonald’s store
Claremont residents have taken to protest after they found themselves in a major pickle over plans to put up a new McDonald’s on prime housing land. LATEST BEEF>>
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Claremont residents have ramped up the fight against plans for a McDonald's in a residential zone in the suburb, with more than 70 people rallying against the build on Saturday.
The fast food giant has lodged an application for a new franchise at 8-10 Main Road, Claremont, which is a residential zone.
Community members have raised concerns about noise, light, litter and the need for housing.
Because it requires landowner consent from the council, it cannot be formally assessed yet, and the council can’t consider community feedback at this stage.
In response to community concerns, McDonald's Australia said it would amend its design, but community members are keeping up the fight.
“This is housing land, this has been designated for housing and we welcome housing, we also welcome McDonald's but just in an appropriate place,” resident Dani Simpson said.
“McDonald's will inevitably bring anti-social behaviour, noise pollution, light pollution, litter, which will affect the whole community here.”
Another resident, Loraine Burdett said there were a lot of elderly people who lived in the area.
“It’s mostly retirees and the Lady Clarke home over there,” Ms Burdett said.
“We’re sorry about it but we have to fight to protect all these lovely people.”
The group of residents now go by the name of ‘Housing not Hamburgers’.
Group representative David Kernke, who owns Claremont House, said the group wanted to “keep the council on their toes.”
“The whole idea of this is to get people aware of all this with plenty of time to look at the future,” Mr Kernke said.
“In case the council for whatever reason don’t make the correct the decision, we’re prepared to go forward and we’ll galvanise everyone.”
Mr Kernke said the turnout for the rally showed there was serious support for the group.
“We’re not anti-McDonald's at all, we acknowledge the good McDonald's bring to the area, so we’re very happy for them to develop on correctly zoned land.
“The big issue is housing … it’s important for all our elected representatives to acknowledge the land has approval for housing and we have a dire shortage of housing.”
Independent member for Clark Andrew Wilkie said McDonald’s needed to listen to residents.
“Big corporations need to be respectful of public opinion, you’ve got to have a social licence,” Mr Wilkie said.
“[If they built on the site] it would be socially irresponsible, not just because it would be going against the zoning … It would be basically treating the local community with contempt.
“In fairness to McDonald's, I have spoken with people within the corporation, they have shown an open mind to this about finding another location … whether or not that amounts to anything is yet to be seen.”
McDonald’s has met with a group of residents and will meet with the Glenorchy City Council this month.
“McDonald’s outlined the amendments made to the proposed restaurant design and layout to address residents’ concerns around noise, waste and traffic,” the McDonald’s spokesperson said.
“We also committed to ongoing consultation as we work through the development application process for 8-10 Main Street, while also committing to continue conversations with council regarding alternate sites.”
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Independent Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie will front a community rally on Saturday in protest of a McDonald’s Australia plan to open a 24-hour restaurant on Claremont land zoned residential, while the company has revealed plans for a new restaurant in the state’s north.
The proposed restaurant is at 8–10 Main Rd, Claremont, and backs on to Lady Clark Retirement Village. The land is zoned residential under Glenorchy City Council’s planning scheme.
Resident have expressed concerns about the proposed restaurant’s impact on Main Rd traffic, residential amenity, and the loss of land “strategically set aside for residential housing”.
McDonald’s Australia told the Mercury the proposed site was not a fait accompli.
“McDonald’s recently met with a group of Claremont residents to hear their concerns and feedback regarding the proposed McDonald’s restaurant in Claremont,” a spokeswoman said. “During this meeting, McDonald’s outlined the amendments made to the proposed restaurant design and layout to address residents’ concerns around noise, waste and traffic.
“We also committed to ongoing consultation as we work through the development application process for 8–10 Main Street, while also committing to continue conversations with council regarding alternate sites. McDonald’s will meet with council this month.”
On Saturday at 11am, Mr Wilkie will lend his weight to residents’ group Housing not Hamburgers, formed to lobby against the development, by appearing at a rally at nearby Lady Clark Ave.
Mr Wilkie has previously written to McDonald’s Australia’s chief executive.
“I urge McDonald’s Australia to consult residents and consider looking at a more suitable site for a 24-hour drive-through,” he said.
“Given the current housing crisis in Tasmania, this land should be used as intended for building more homes.”
Claremont resident David Kernke, a representative of Housing not Hamburgers, the residents’ group formed to fight the development, said locals were supportive of a new McDonald’s restaurant in the area, but only on an “appropriately zoned site”.
“Not only has this land been strategically set aside by Glenorchy City Council for residential development but it is located in the middle of long-established suburban housing at the entry of a retirement village,” Mr Kernke said.
In the state’s north, it can also be revealed that McDonald’s Australia has lodged a development application with Meander Valley Council to develop a new restaurant at 345 Westbury Rd, Prospect Vale.
The site for decades has been the home of Jim’s Car Care Service, which closed in December last year.
The McDonald’s Australia spokeswoman said the proposed restaurant would inject over $5m into the local economy and create 100 jobs during construction, as well as a further 120 jobs once operational.
If approved, it would be Launceston’s fourth McDonald’s.
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