The plans were approved by councillors on Wednesday (August 12)
A McDonald’s in South London has been allowed to stay open until 1am every day of the week after plans were approved by councillors on Wednesday (August 12).
The fast food giant submitted a Section 73 application with Lewisham Council so it could vary the timings to existing planning permission which was approved back in 2014.
Lewisham Council’s Planning Committee granted planning permission at the end of Wednesday’s meeting.
From 2014, McDonald’s on Old Bromley Road in Bromley had been operating from 6am to midnight, every day of the week.
Murat Ocalan, a Franchise Supervisor for the McDonald’s on Old Bromley Road, said opening for an extra hour each day will help meet customer demands and provide additional hours of employment and disposable income for current staff.
He explained that from midnight to 1am, the restaurant itself and the customer car park will be closed, apart from a designated car park area for delivery drivers and the drive-thru.
Mr Ocalan told the committee: “During the additional hour, we’ll continue to operate in a controlled way.
“Customers will use the drive-thru, collect their orders, and leave, while delivery partners will continue using their designated areas for collecting orders and leaving.”
He added: “There will be no customers sitting inside the restaurant or using the customer parking areas.
“We’ll also take management of the surrounding areas seriously, particularly when it comes to litter. We already have a litter patrol strategy in place, and it’s been used consistently in the restaurant.”
During the public consultation, the plans received 10 objections from local residents.
One local resident who spoke during Wednesday’s meeting said they had experienced problems with noise nuisance and litter.
She said: “I’ve [rung McDonald’s] seven times in the last year to complain about noise and all they do is send me vouchers… that’s not good enough.
“If the car parks are closed, the customers will park outside our streets. When the windows are open, my kids will get distracted. If they [are open] until 1am they could still be there till 1.30am.”
Later on in the meeting, Mr Ocalan said litter picking happens three times during the day, at 7am, 2pm and then 9pm.
A planning officer went on to say that the council was not aware of any issues or complaints relating to noise or anti-social behaviour coming from the site.
The plans were ultimately approved by the council’s Planning Committee.
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