McDonald’s thinks again on Whinmoor

Initial plans for the former Old Red Lion pub plot on York Road were rejected by Leeds City Council in June, leading the fast food giant towards a greener proposal.

In this resubmission, McDonald’s has sought to address the reasons for the refusal of the previous application with some amendments. These include:

• A reduction in the proposed opening hours to 7am-11pm
• Planting 18 trees within the site and a further 37 in the adjacent woodland
• A £25,000 contribution and working with Trees for Street to support tree planting in the local area
• A pedestrian refuge island on the Baildon Drive junction and a traffic island on the A64 York Road to prevent overtaking.

McDonald’s wants to demolish the pub and a taxi rank, replacing these with a new-build drive-thru.

Lichfields is the project’s planning advisor. The professional team also includes landscape architect and ecology advisor Encon Associates, Glanville, and transport firm Andrew Moseley Associates.

If approved, the plans would deliver a new McDonald’s restaurant featuring indoor and outdoor seating, as well as on-site car parking, cycle storage and new soft and hard landscaping.

McDonald’s, which last month won a consent in Rotherham in spite of a recommendation for refusal, said up to 120 jobs could be created, with around £60,000 a year in business rates raised for LCC.

Phil Isherwood, senior acquisitions surveyor at McDonald’s, said: “We were disappointed when our previous proposals for a restaurant in Whinmoor were refused by Leeds City Council.

“However, we have acknowledged the reasons for refusal and revised our proposals to address them. We now have an improved application which, if approved, will bring McDonald’s popular offer to the Whinmoor community.

“We look forward to our plans being considered by Leeds City Council planners. We hope that the changes we have made, along with the wider benefits of our proposals, will be recognised and result in a positive resolution to grant permission.”

The planning application has been validated by Leeds City Council and allocated reference number 24/04148/FU.