Planning permission has been refused for a McDonald’s drive-thru in Ballincollig.

The fast food restaurant was to be located in the overflow carpark of the Aldi supermarket near the East Gate junction.
The company wanted permission for a single storey drive-thru along with 70 parking spaces, set down parking, a bike stand and outdoor seating.
In their application the company said the Ballincollig outlet was to be a flagship premises and the first in Ireland to use their Spirit of Family concept. This encourages a family friendly environment using permanently installed iPads, interactive tv monitors, self-ordering kiosks as well as games projected onto the tables. It would also include the first McCafe outside of Dublin offering a wider selection of food and drinks compared to other restaurants.
McDonald’s also said 70 jobs would be created during construction and when operational the drive-thru would create between 60 and 80 full time jobs.
However the planning application received seven submissions and objections.
A resident in the nearby Fr Sexton Park said there was already a problem with anti social behaviour in a laneway at the rear of their properties and a fast food restaurant would add to this problem. They also said noise levels and traffic would increase.
The Eateries Group of Ballincollig also objected saying it would lead to an increase in traffic and anti social behaviour.
After considering the application planners in County Hall turned down permission. They said the drive-thru would create additional traffic, that the East Gate junction would not be able to handle the traffic at peak times and said a fast food restaurant would present a poor relationship with the East Gate junction and roadway in visual terms.
It was also noted that a separate planning application for a different drive-thru had already been granted in June to developer Seamus Geaney on a site just across the road from the proposed McDonald’s premises.
A representative for Mr Geaney said they were currently in talks with different companies interested in operating the drive thru and would hope to have those talks completed shortly and work starting soon after.