Permission given for new McDonald's restaurant to be built near Downtown in Grantham

McDonald’s is coming to Grantham’s Downtown shopping centre at Gonerby Moor.

The fast food chain has been granted permission to open a restaurant with a drive-thru close to the A1 junction.

The site is an undeveloped piece of land to the east of the shopping area and south of the motorway services.

Some 35 full-time and 30 part-time jobs will be created.

The designs include drive-thru lanes, a 43-space car park, outdoor seating and a play area.

The junction of Allington Lane East and the B1174 will be upgraded to a roundabout, with a new access road created for the McDonald’s car park.

The location makes it “well placed to offer refreshments to passing customers” on the A1 or Downtown as well as Grantham residents.

The application says it intends to deliver “a bright, lively, modern and contemporary feel for visitors” which has made it the most popular fast food brand in the world.

It adds: “It is intended that the roundabout will be of a suitable size and capacity to be future-proofed for the wider redevelopment of the Downtown site.”

Grantham’s only McDonald’s is currently located at the far end of the town on Bridge End Road.

South Kesteven District Council has granted permission for work to start within the next three years.

No objections to the plans have been published on the council’s planning website.

Although currently not in use, the land is earmarked for development under the Gonerby Moor masterplan.

The fast food giant is making efforts to expand into Lincolnshire, having opened a drive-thru in Louth in November and another in Boston last month.

Do you welcome another McDonald's in the area? Email your thoughts to comment@granthamjournal.co.uk