Hearing over golden arches

RHIANNON HORRELL

A lONG-AWAITED hearing over whether Balmoral will become home to the McDonald's golden arches has kicked off this week.

The Environment Court case got under way on Monday and is set down until September 3.

It will see representatives from McDonald's, the Auckland City Council and the Balmoral Community Group have their say on the proposed restaurant at 1-5 Wiremu St.

After the council initially recommended consent be declined, three independent commissioners granted approval for the restaurant last July, with several conditions affecting opening hours, signs and security.

McDonald's then lodged an appeal to the Environment Court over the conditions and the Balmoral Community Group opted to appeal against the entire decision.

Barrister Richard Brabant, who spoke on behalf of McDonald's, told the court in his opening submissions on Monday that about 40,000 people in Balmoral and the surrounding area do not have the close convenience of a McDonald's outlet.

"This new restaurant will provide a local McDonald's for this area, albeit with it being conveniently and sensibly located at the junction of two arterial roads," he says.

Mr Brabant says residential amenity has been properly considered.

"The speaker box and drive-through canopies are a considerable distance from the nearest residential boundaries. New acoustic fences along the length of the western boundary will provide more than adequate acoustic protection and visual privacy."

He also told the court that evidence about the outlet being connected to potential public health or obesity issues are not relevant considerations.

Auckland University planning expert Lee Beattie told the court he supports the decision to grant consent.

He says opening hours should be limited from 6am to 10pm Monday to Thursday, and 6am to midnight on Friday and Saturday.

But McDonald's is seeking operating hours of 6am to midnight, seven days a week.

Mr Beattie says the proposal has the potential to generate up to 60 fulltime jobs, with up to 150 part-time staff employed.

"Also the proposal will provide for and meet a section of the community's desire for this range of food options, thereby meeting their social well-being."

Council conditions imposed on the fast-food giant include a requirement to produce a litter management plan, a requirement to collect all of the litter within a 200-metre radius, a condition to install 24-hour CCTV monitoring cameras and have security patrolling the site every day between 10pm and 6am.

The Balmoral Community Group also presented evidence this week. Secretary Justine Tringham told the court of the group's concerns over the high intensity development.

"This is the wrong site for a drive-through. We do not specifically oppose the applicant – we believe that any drive-through would cause a more than minor impact on the residential amenity of the neighbourhood."

Ms Tringham says the quiet residential neighbourhood already has access to a proliferation of McDonald's outlets – including venues at Greenlane, Grey Lynn, St Lukes, Pt Chevalier, Newmarket and Royal Oak.

"McDonald's will be a food business in an area where there is already a concentration of food businesses," she says.

Ms Tringham says issues that need addressing include the safe operation of the local road network and entrapment for neighbours living next to a 3 metre fence.

- © Fairfax NZ News