Chepstow McDonald's plans leaves some locals concerned

The option to respond with the fast food giant’s advertising slogan, and “I hope the council approves the plans” is the first of five, down to “A new McDonald’s isn’t needed”, on feedback forms available at the consultation event at Chepstow Rugby Club. 

The golden arches chain is preparing to submit a planning application for a 24-hour “drive-thru” restaurant on green fields behind the Promec Engineering and Severn Link Distribution Centre on the Newhouse Farm Industrial Estate, the opposite side of Junction 2 of the M48 roundabout to the rugby club. 

Vehicles streaming across the nearby Severn Bridge during the early afternoon were soon pointed out to the consultation team by a resident concerned McDonald’s would only mean more traffic congestion.

Plans, approved last year, for a filling station and drive throughs on land opposite the industrial estate, have already led to concerns fast food will tempt pedestrians to cut across the motorway junction rather than take the longer, designated route through an existing underpass. 

“You know what kids are like,” said the Bulwark resident, who asked not to be named, after giving her strong opinions on traffic and pedestrians safety: “People I was with this morning, at my art group, were all saying kids will run across it.” 

This underpass, under the M48 roundabout, will be the designated pedestrian route to the McDonald's. (Image: LDRS)

She wants a high fence, to prevent people crossing the road, and wasn’t reassured traffic impact surveys and highway engineers can overcome problems on the junction where there are an estimated 20,000 vehicle movements daily. 

“Unless you live here, you’ve not got a clue about the traffic,” said the woman. 

One of the first to attend was local resident and lorry driver ‘Dave’ who said his two young children “love McDonald’s and love their Happy Meals”. 

At present he will make the 12 mile trip to Patchway in Bristol, with the nearest outlet some nine miles away at Junction 23 on the M4 at Magor. 

“I think it will be a good thing and I’ve no problem with it whatsoever.  A lot of people drive to get a McDonalds and at least the trade will be staying local, staying in Wales, instead of going to Bristol, or Newport.” 

But he is weary of extra traffic on the industrial estate slip road that would provide access to the McDonald’s: “A lot of HGVs go down there. I’m a driver and you go down there in a 44 tonne and someone will hit the breaks and turn left.” 

The proposed McDonald's would be near the first Severn Bridge at Chepstow. (Image: LDRS)

The driver, and rugby fan, was also keen to know how sports clubs could benefit from McDonald’s promised “community sponsorship” opportunities, perhaps to offset the loss of the fields currently used for a five km run. 

Those are details for the franchisee, he was told, but the firm is promising a £5m investment and 120 jobs, partly due to the large number of younger workers it employs on part-time contracts, while it expects to pay £60,000 a year in business rates. 

Teenager Cai Dean, who isn’t in work or education, said “more jobs for the youth” would be welcomed along with the restaurant as “Chepstow is dead”, a particular problem for him and 16-year-old pal Ryan Lewis as neither drive and find themselves paying friends £15 to take them to Bristol or Newport for KFC. 

That possibly explained why the 17-year-old was waiting outside the rugby club with Ryan, who “wanted to see if a big debate was going on.” 

Instead there was just a trickle of people viewing the information boards but the student said there has been plenty of discussion on Facebook leading him to conclude “most people don’t want it”. 

His own opinion was: “The only negative is the pedestrian crossing problem but you can provide solutions to that.” However he thinks people will still cross the roundabout  

Couple Kerrie and Nigel Thurgar, who live at the Bulwark, attended to find out a little more about the information that had already been sent to their home. 

Nigel said traffic on the industrial estate, where he works, is an issue but isn’t opposed to the plans though: “I’m not a big fan of McDonald’s. I’d probably have a breakfast maybe as a Friday treat, at the moment I go to Greggs.” 

McDonald’s consultation runs until Thursday, November 7 and it says it will consider all feedback before submitting a planing application to Monmouthshire County Council.