Is McDonald's in Ellon back on the menu?
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Global fast food giant McDonald’s plans for a new drive-thru in Ellon were withdrawn back in May last year, but now revised plans have finally been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council this week.
If approved, the restaurant would be built on land at the Balmacassie Industrial Estate, across from the town’s busy Tesco superstore.
The fast food firm carried out a review of its restaurant portfolio and wanted to add new locations, including in Aviemore which our sister title the Strathspey Herald revealed .
At the time of the application in May last year McDonald’s said it has “long held an aspiration” to open a site in the north-east town, and "it turns out the feeling is mutual."
In a statement McDonald’s said at the time of withdrawing the original application that it remained committed to Ellon with a spokesperson saying: "Plans for a new £4million McDonald’s have been withdrawn with a view to refining proposals.
"The project aims to introduce a modern freestanding single-story McDonald’s restaurant with a drive-thru, car parking, landscaping, and other necessary features such as customer order displays."
Following feedback from Aberdeenshire Council, particularly around proposed car parking, McDonald’s architects have revised the proposal to more than double the available parking on site and reposition the main building to the south-east of the overall location and remove the drive-thru option.
The main building style has also been changed to reflect other sites in the north-east including the proposed development adjacent to the A96 at Huntly which recently received approval.
It will provide 39 on-site car parking spaces, including provisions for two disabled spaces, four dedicated cyclist spaces, and the integration of two accessible electric vehicle charging points.
Should the application be approved, as well as the £4 million investment, it will also generate around 100 (full and part time) new employment opportunities. Additionally, the construction phase anticipates further job creation within McDonald’s broader supply chain.
Andrew Crewther, Senior Acquisitions Surveyor at McDonald’s Restaurants Ltd., reiterated the company's commitment, stating: “Having withdrawn our initial application, we are thrilled about resubmitting updated plans.
"This decision stems from an extensive review aimed at aligning our vision with both the community's expectations and the council's guidelines. "Our unwavering commitment remains focused on presenting an evolved proposal that caters comprehensively to the town's needs and encapsulates a contemporary dining experience.
“We look forward to continuing engagement with the local community as the updated plans progress.”
