Fury in UK commuter town as McDonald's to be built 200 metres from school

Residents in a UK commuter town have erupted with fury after plans were tabled to build a McDonald's 200m from a school.

A new development in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, is set to include a new restaurant from the fast food chain but locals are in an uproar. The St James’ Park development by Countryside is a new site of housing and other amenities close to Bishop’s Stortford High School.

The original planning permission mentioned the potential for a ‘hot food takeaway’ but many locals thought this meant a chip shop or a Chinese, not a drive-through for a massive chain.

Locals were informed of the plans to build a McDonald’s last week via a leaflet through their doors and are up in arms.

One of the high school’s governors, Stephen Taylor, said they had no issue with the development at large which will include a ‘local centre’ with a nursery, a gym, a Co-op and a community centre.

“Those are entirely appropriate,” he told the Express. “What isn't is a large drive-through. The McDonald’s will be on the school gates and, by nature, a drive-through is not for the local community. It’s for people driving through the area.”

There are worries about the impact of a McDonald’s on the area, with locals coming out for a public consultation this week.

“There were lots of parents and locals at the consultation expressing the same concerns as us,” Mr Taylor said. “Our message to Countryside is: ‘Think again, this is not the right place.’

“For example, traffic. Our pupils are walking, cycling and getting public transport to school. It’s already busy before adding all the vehicles going to McDonald's. It will just make another problem for traffic around the school at let-in and let-out times.”

There are also fears over the effect that a McDonald’s just 200 metres from the school could have on pupils.

Mr Taylor said: “It’s been twenty years since Jamie Oliver started his campaign to improve school food and our canteen provides healthy options at every meal for every child. The worry is kids will want to go to McDonald’s."

He added: “It will be an enticement to eat fast food before and after school, every time they pass it with their friends. It runs against everything we do to provide a healthy start for the kids.

“We also take behaviour really seriously, the kids are an asset to us and their community. But once they're off the grounds in uniform, they'll congregate and who’s responsible for their behaviour? Kids will be kids, they won't disperse if they have somewhere to go.”

Bishop's Stortford High School’s headteacher Dale Reeve said in a letter to parents that the location of the restaurant "could have catastrophic implications for the health and well-being of our students"

Planning permission for the development was granted in 2019, with work on the local centre of shops and services set to begin in 2025.

A spokesperson for Countryside said the restaurant and other shops in the precinct would "benefit those already living at St James’ Park, other local residents, and provide local jobs."

McDonald’s was approached for comment.