McDonald’s has amended its planning application to build a 24-hour drive-through restaurant within the Tice's Meadow and Tongham Ponds Site of Nature Conservation Interest, adjacent to the A331 Tongham Services.
The revised plan attempts to address many of the points raised by objectors, namely that the restaurant would constitute inappropriate development in the countryside and loss of open space, and would have a negative visual impact.
McDonald’s has amended the layout of its proposals as well as submitting amended travel and management plans. It has also conducted an archaeological study, as requested by the Surrey County Archaeologist, and addressed some of the objections from the Surrey County Council’s highways department.
The planning application has been re-opened for public comments until March 19, online via https://tinyurl.com/A331McDonalds.
However, the Tice's Meadow Bird Group, whose volunteers help manage the Tice's Meadow Nature Reserve in Badshot Lea, say McDonald’s has still failed to address concerns relating to the negative impacts on biodiversity and from contaminated land, odour, light and air pollution, noise, flooding, inadequate parking, litter, traffic and highway safety, as well as proximity to other drive-through restaurants.
It says McDonald's has also neglected to address concerns raised by Surrey Wildlife Trust that they have failed to recognise the presence of many protected and important species and habitats on, and adjacent to, the site, and that they have failed to take into account the Tongham Ponds Site of Nature Conservation Interest.
Objectors include Surrey, Farnham, Rushmoor and Tongham councils, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, and Badshot Lea Community Association.
Read the bird group’s response in full and petition at: https://chng.it/jXmhJJjDKf