Planners look set to grant approval for a new McDonald's restaurant in Ammanford. 

McDonald's is seeking permission for a restaurant with drive-through, parking facilities, 76-seat dining area, restrooms and a play frame next to Tesco's petrol filling station. 

The plans will go before Carmarthenshire County council's planning panel on Thursday, April 25 for consideration by councillors, but officers have recommended that planning permission is granted. 

Head of Transport & Highways, Network Rail, Head of Public Protection, Natural Resources Wales, and Welsh Water offer no objections.

However, there are other authorities who object the proposal such as the Coal Authority, Ammanford Town Council and local councillors D E Harries and C Evans.

Ammanford Council has listed the following concerns:

  • Loss of privacy for residents
  • Traffic congestion, pollution, and safety
  • Negative reputation of fast-food outlets for litter and anti-social behaviour
  • Noise and disturbance to surrounding area

But the council has requested some adjustments if the development is approved, such as:

  • Closing time of midnight instead of 24-hour operation
  • Daily litter patrols over 300m area with more bins and regular emptying
  • Installation of 2.5m high solid fence along railway boundary to reduce noise
  • Car registration numbers on packaging for litter control

Councillors Harries and Evans echo the councils concerns while also mentioning the conflict with local development plan policies and the removal of free parking spaces creating a more crowded area.

Local MP Jonathan Edwards objects the proposal, citing the negative impact on smaller businesses, the impact on child obesity, air quality due to increased traffic congestion and lack of support from the community.

Furthermore, there have been over 316 unique public representations, with 206 responses objecting the proposal and 99 responses supporting the proposal.

The largest number of public objections focuses on the littering and environmental impact of a new McDonald's - the second largest mentioned traffic congestion and access issues.

Meanwhile, public supporters have identified the increase in job opportunities and potential footfall as positives of the development.

A McDonalds spokesperson said: “We are excited about the opportunity to open a new restaurant in Ammanford.

“We will go into the committee meeting this week with a recommendation for approval and are committed to working together with the council and local residents to address any concerns.”

A report for the committee said: "After careful consideration of the scheme as submitted, it is concluded on balance that the proposal satisfies all the local and national planning policies and guidelines, based on the expert advice received from statutory consultees.

"As such, despite the weight of objection received, the points of objection cannot be sustained and as such, the proposal is recommended for approval."