McDonald's in Titchfield: Hundreds oppose plans for drive-thru near Fareham fearing roads will be 'too dangerous'

In plans submitted to Fareham Borough Council, McDonald’s said the new restaurant and drive-thru off the A27 Southampton Road would mean a multi-million-pound investment in the area and create 120 new jobs. But most public comments received by planners are objections to the two-storey McDonald’s with an 86-seat restaurant and 37 car parking spaces.

The brownfield site of land is at a junction with the A27 Southampton Road and Farm Road, near Titchfield and next to an air cadet training corp hub. There are shops to the north of the unused land and a petrol station and hotel to the southeast on St Margaret’s roundabout. 

Main objections include traffic congestion, lack of parking, the impact on the cadet training corp and children, and how fast food outlets near schools are not appropriate. Many locals, whose names are redacted by council planners, pointed out there is a new McDonalds in Whiteley, less than three miles from Titchfield. One said: “There are plenty of fast food restaurants in the local area at both Whiteley and Fareham, there is absolutely no need for another one.”

One objector said “it will be dangerous for the children who live here and will cause so much more traffic”, while another said “Farm Road is already an accident waiting to happen with cars parked up the road which would also become more dangerous”.

Another local said they were already worried about the amount of traffic on the A27, especially “the amount of late-night racers” who “fly down” the road” This was echoed by another, who said: “Increased traffic, it’s bad anyway and there are always near misses, crashes and the roundabout can’t support it.” Another said: “It is already bad enough with many cars using it to do a U-turn and also a lot of work vans being parked on the road opposite the proposed entrance making it dangerous when driving round the corner.”

One supporter of the application referred to another planning issue in St Margaret’s Lane, the Titchfield Festival Theatre which the borough council said did not have permission. 

They said: “It’s about what the majority of people want or don’t want. The theatre in St Margaret’s Lane causes nothing but problems and has been extended without planning permission. At least McDonald’s will be going through the correct process. If McDonald’s is seen as being so awful why is it so popular? Fully support the application.” 

And another supporter said: “Would be a way to boost the local economy and provide much-needed employment opportunities.”

A traffic plan submitted with the application said less than half (47 per cent, Fridays 8am to 9am) of customers would make a special trip, with most already on local roads. The total number of trips during the peak on a Saturday, between 1pm and 2pm, would be 144 vehicles, the statement said, and through the whole day, a queue of 15 vehicles would only happen for four, two-minute intervals. The consultants said there would be “no material impact on the operation of the surrounding local road network” and the proposed car park and drive-thru lane have “sufficient capacity to accommodate the expected level of demand”.

The application to Fareham Borough Planners is to build a freestanding restaurant/takeaway with a drive-thru, car parking, landscaping and associated works, including customer order displays, as well as three separate advertising consent applications for various signage. The borough council has set June 3 as a target date for a decision on application P/24/0456/FP.