Plans for fast food restaurant next to Wales Coastal Path refused

Twm Owen, Local democracy reporter

Plans for a McDonald’s restaurant and drive through next to the Wales Coastal Path have been refused by councillors.

The firm wanted to develop green fields on an industrial estate on the opposite side of service road where a petrol station with two drive throughs is already under construction.

But Monmouthshire County Council planning officers said the land is allocated for offices, light industry or storage and distribution and didn’t believe road safety concerns for staff, and potential customers, walking to the site at the Newhouse Farm Industrial Estate beside the M48 at the approach to the Severn Bridge had been addressed.

As a result they said the plan, which promised 85 jobs and a further 125 during construction, failed to meet Welsh planning policies that aim to reduce reliance on private vehicles.

Local Labour councillor Armand Watts had requested the application go before the planning committee and said, in a letter, he was “broadly in favour” due to economic benefits but it was “vital there is safe access for all”.

His Bulwark and Thornwell colleague, Sue Riley, said she would be supporting the application and suggested barriers could be put up to prevent access from people walking across the busy M48 roundabout.

The Labour councillor said local people who’d responded to a consultation staged by McDonald’s, and during the planning application backed the plan, with 339 comments in support submitted to the council and just 66 objections.

She said: “We need to consider what local people in that area want and they seem to want this opportunity and it’s not for me to say it is wrong and isn’t a good work opportunity. I know a number of people who started out working at McDonald’s, including my psychologist.

“It’s a good opportunity for local people and I don’t think we have the right to be sniffy about this.”

Conservative councillor for St Arvans, Ann Webb, also backed the plans as she said the council had “to put pressure” on the site’s owners some 10 or 12 years ago to market it for the approved employment use and still hadn’t been developed.

But her party colleague, Llangybi Fawr councillor, Fay Bromfield said while she supported employment opportunities the application didn’t comply with the council’s planning policies, a view supported by Chepstow Labour councillor Dale Rooke.

Conservative councillor for Devauden, Rachel Buckler, reminded the committee opposition leader Kemi Badenoch had worked for the burger chain which used ‘I’m Lovin’ It’ as an advertising jingle and said: “I love a McDonald’s.”

But she said: “I’m going to vote against this. I don’t think it’s in the right place.”

Planning agent Owain Nedin, for the applicants who were listed as landowners East Mon Industrial Holdings Ltd, said despite the council planning department’s objections it had supported the nearby drive through which was approved in 2024.

Mr Nedin said that was supported on the basis it would provide 75 jobs and said crash barriers were proposed to prevent inappropriate pedestrian access.

The McDonald’s application promised lighting improvements to part of the Wales Coastal Path leading to the restaurant said Mr Nedin who added a condition could require a further study on pedestrian access and there was a willingness to make a contribution towards public transport.

But Monmouthshire planning chief Andrew Jones said the Welsh Government, as the relevant highway authority, had previously ruled out barriers along the road and described the approved development opposite as different to the McDonald’s application for a “standalone” drive through and restaurant.

Mr Jones said the approved application was part of a petrol station, which is directly linked to vehicle use, and also included light industrial or storage use of the site.

He said the road safety concerns couldn’t be overcome and said: “There needs to be safe access. People have a right to safe access to their means of employment. Our position is it doesn’t provide either customers or staff a safe means of access to work without use of a car.”

The application was rejected after 11 councillors voted to endorse the officer’s recommendation of refsual, with three against doing so while two abstained.