CONTROVERSIAL plans for a new McDonald’s restaurant in Southampton are set to be refused.

Plans for a new drive-through restaurant in the former Field and Trek building on Hawkeswood Road, at the junction with Bitterne Road West, near Northam Bridge are set to be discussed by councillors in Southampton on June 4. 

The proposal has received 191 letters of objections from local residents and  sparked a protest backed by civic chiefs and Southampton Itchen MP Royston Smith.

McDonald’s hit back saying it believes the restaurant will bring significant investment to the local community as well as creating at least 65 new jobs.

But the proposal is now set to be refused.

In a document published ahead of the Planning and Rights of Way Panel meeting that will take place at the civic centre in Southampton next week, planning bosses said the positive aspects of the scheme are not likely to outweigh the negatives.

In the document planning bosses also said: “The increased right turn movements into and out of Hawkeswood Road would prejudice highway safety and lead to severe obstruction to traffic flow on Bitterne Road West, a main arterial route which has been identified by Highways England as requiring major improvements to improve traffic flow

“Therefore, the proposal would have an unacceptable impact on highway safety and the residual cumulative impacts on the road network would be severe.” According to the application, the restaurant would be open from 6am to midnight, seven days a week.

Civic chiefs previously said they would support the business opportunity but they would not support this application.

In a statement in support of the plans, McDonald’s said: “The site represents an appropriate location for a drive-thru restaurant, which will be well placed to offer refreshments to passing customers and those in the surrounding area.”