McDonald's restaurant on the cards for Welshpool

If given permission, the fast food outlet - earmarked for land at Rhallt View and Tan yr Allt View, on the A483 roundabout with the A458, near the Livestock Market - would provide full time work for 12 people.

Welshpool Town Council has objected to the proposals for several reasons, including that the site is outside the Local Development Plan (LDP) boundary and with the town centre close by does not meet the town council’s climate change policy encouraging cycling and walking.

Environmental body and statutory consultee Natural Resources Wales has said that it would only recommend approval if conditions are placed on the permission.

It wants to see a Landscape Ecological Management Plan before any work starts and also no demolition of the buildings there until a bat survey is carried out.

If bats are found the applicants Delves & Co, the company behind Tuffins supermarkets, would need to propose how to deal with them and have the plan approved.

Principal planning officer, Tamsin Law, said: “The site lies adjacent to the development boundary for Welshpool.

Demolition

“The site currently comprises two residential dwellings and associated agricultural buildings.

“The application seeks outline planning permission with all matters reserved for future consideration for the erection of a restaurant and associated works including the demolition of a single dwelling and associated buildings.

“The estimated floor area of the proposed building is approximately 275 square metres.”

Ms Law continued: “The proposed development is 2.1km (1.3 miles) from the defined town centre of Welshpool.

“It is therefore considered that due to its location and distance from the town centre area it would not undermine the vitality and viability of the town centre.

“As such it is not considered to undermine the retail hierarchy of Welshpool and would not be considered to have an unacceptable adverse impact.”

She added: “Having carefully considered the proposed development, officers are satisfied that, whilst a departure (application), it broadly complies with national policy and does not undermine the policies within the LDP.

“The recommendation is therefore one of approval subject to conditions.”

In total, if planning were granted, Delves & Co would need to satisfy eight conditions.

A more detailed application giving details of appearance, access, landscaping, layout and scale would also need to be approved before the restaurant is built.