"We don't need another McDonald's," say protesters over plans for new drive-thru off busy Sheffield road

“We don’t need another McDonald’s,” is the message from Green Party activist, Lynsey Angell.

She was one of around 80 protesters who took part in action on the proposed site off London Road, on a vacant plot at the junction with Broadfield Road, on the borders of Heeley and Lowfield last night (Wednesday, April 30, 2025).

Lynsey explains that amongst the concerns that have sparked the 200 objections to the proposal for a new drive-thru McDonald’s on the site are traffic congestion and the knock-on effect on air pollution.

“The fact it is a drive-thru would create even more traffic, and would just make pollution in the area worse. Lowfield Primary School is already the most polluted school in the city,” explained Lynsey, adding that a proportion of the protesters who took part are parents with children at the school. “

Lowfield Primary School is located a short, 0.2 mile distance, away from the proposed site, and parents are also said to be concerned about the potential impact on health if another fast food site was to be built in the area.

Lynsey suggests there are already two other McDonald’s branches located a short distance away - one on Granville Square at the bottom of Queens Road, and another on Archer Road retail park in Millhouses - making the addition of a new one completely “unnecessary.”

She adds: “It’s already a difficult time for businesses, they’re struggling to survive. These independent businesses at least offer some character to the area...they provide a place people can go for burger and chips - if that’s what they want. Another McDonald’s wouldn’t offer anything new.”

The creation of more litter and waste, in close proximity to the River Sheaf, are also among the other concerns cited by objectors to the plans.

Lynsey and the other protesters hope the strength of feeling demonstrated through last night’s action will give the council a reason to scrap the plans, and to bring their cause to the attention of others living in the area.

“The Green Party is reacting to what residents are saying they want, we’ve spent a lot of time with people in the community,” said Lynsey, who lives in the area.

Councillors including green representatives, Maroof Raouf and Alexi Dimond, representating the Nether Edge and Sharrow and Gleadless Valley wards respestively, also spoke at the protest.

McDonald’s announced proposals for the new branch in November 2024, describing the location as being ‘ideal’ for a new drive-through restaurant.

The fast food chain invited people to take part in a consultation, which it said would “help shape our planning application,” and held a public meeting at Heeley Parish Church.

It claimed the new restaurant would be “well connected to the local highway network” and close to other businesses which would be ‘complemented’ by its addition.

“The creation of a new drive-thru restaurant would also deliver a range of benefits, including significant investment into the local economy and the creation of approximately 90 new jobs, in a range of full and part-time positions,” it added.

“We recognise that whilst the site is part of a wider commercial area, there are residential properties nearby.

“We take our responsibility to our neighbours very seriously and have embedded a range of measures in our emerging proposals to protect the amenity of our neighbours.”

McDonald’s last year ditched plans for a new restaurant on Sheffield’s Ecclesall Road after a planning officer raised queries over the potential smell and noise, with 79 obections from two community associations.

A total of three people had submitted comments in support of the plans at the time of writing.

The standard consultation on the plans ends on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, and for more information or to add a comment to the proposal, please follow this link: https://planningapps.sheffield.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=STUDP9NYMYE00