PRESS RELEASE TO GRANTHAM JOURNAL 15 NOVEMBER 2011
Residents win concession as
Grantham McDonalds plan to stay open 24/7
South Kesteven District Council Development Control
Committee meeting on 15th November 2011 in the Civic Chambers granted only temporary permission for McDonalds in Bridge End
Road Grantham to operate 24hrs daily after letters of objection were received
from local residents, St Annes Ward Councillor Charmaine Morgan and County
Councillor Adam Stokes.
Ward Councillor Charmaine Morgan, who has been
listening to residents in neighbouring streets and reflecting feedback from beat
constable PC Simon Wright, spoke at the Committee meeting on their behalf. She
also worked with SKDC Planning Officers prior to the meeting to get a condition
restricting delivery times added.
Councillor Morgan said: "There have been serious concerns raised regarding anti-social
behaviour at the site from youths regularly using the McDonalds car park as a
meeting point. Neighbouring residents have had to tolerate years of sleepless
nights due to loud music blaring, horns sounding, shouting and screaming and
engines revving and back-firing into the early hours. The youths also
dangerously race between McDonalds Car Park and the island on Houghton Road,
which they treat as a speed circuit.
Residents have also complained about rats, bad
odours and the recently installed tannoy system which operates only a few yards
from residents homes in South Parade.
Councillor Morgan said that she will be working
closely with residents, the youths, the Environmental Health Officers,
McDonalds and Police to tackle the issues on the site.
She said 'McDonalds must start to take the
concerns of their neighbours seriously and act against anti-social behaviour and
envrionmental issues on their site or face losing their increased operational
hours. By making only a few changes McDonalds could greatly improve the quality
of life for neighbouring residents. They have managed to keep litter at bay
around their premises and South Parade but need to extend this to Bridge End
Road.
SKDC Environmental Protection Team are urging
anyone experiencing anti-social behaviour or other environmental concerns such
as rats and odours to report them to the Environmental Protection Team
on 01476 406080. They will work with residents to
closely monitor the situation. In a worst-case scenario SKDC
Environmental Protection team have the authority to shut down any take-away
premises which fails to tackle anti-social behaviour of customers.
Councillor Morgan is also urging people to report
issues regarding mis-use of vehicles to create anti-social noise or dangerous
driving, after 11pm to the Police. She said:
The Police need to support residents more.
Mis-use of vehicles to cause noise and disturbance is an offence and they can
take action to confiscate the vehicles of persistent offenders. SKDC Planning
process revealed Police records were poor and didn't reflect the
issues residents have had. It is important to get a crime reference number from
the Police who can be contacted on 999 whilst an offence is being committed out
of hours.
For further info:
The attached information sheet regarding Noise is a
useful reference guide to the differing laws and powers to act around this
issue.
Other Useful Links
South Kesteven District Council - Environmental
Health
http://www.southkesteven.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1535
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