Parents oppose fast-food outlet proposed near primary school

Fried chicken giant KFC has submitted plans to Rotherham Council to build a new drive-through on the site of the former Canklow Hotel, which was destroyed by fire and demolished six months ago.

If the fast food firm is given planning permission at a meeting this week, the new restaurant would be open from 7am to midnight, seven days a week.

The site in question, off Centenary Way, is close to Canklow Woods Primary School and a petition from the school has been submitted to Rotherham Council protesting against the proposals.

A total of 80 people have signed the school’s petition, saying that a new KFC restaurant would encourage unhealthy eating habits in a town which already has well-documented problems with child obesity.

They also say that the restaurant would bring about an increase in traffic, noise and litter and, due to the large number of people passing through the area, could impact on children’s safety.

Further objections have come from three borough councillors and the primary school’s educational psychologist.

Only one local resident has written to Rotherham Council supporting KFC’s plans, claiming that the school has used “exaggerations and scare tactics” to encourage parents to sign the petition.

They add that pensioners in the area are “excited at the prospect of having a good clean establishment on the site” and said they would also be prepared to start a petition in KFC’s support.

Town planners in Rotherham, however, have come out on the side of objectors and have advised councillors to refuse planning permission when the application is considered this week.

They say that KFC’s search for alternative sites has been focused on Rotherham town centre and Wickersley, but there are no suitable sites for a drive-through restaurant in either area.

Although there are a number of vacant units in Rotherham town centre, it is too close to an existing KFC franchise and there would also not be space for a drive-through.

They also say that KFC has discounted the three vacant outlets in Wickersley as they are “small-scale terraced units” which would be “not suitable or viable for the operator’s proposed business model.”

Planning officers say that the restaurant would benefit Canklow by creating 20 new jobs, which would be suitable for young people and the long-term unemployed.

“The provision of jobs will contribute to the reduction in unemployment and the increase in the level of local earnings”, the planners’ report to councillors says.

“These are considera ble benefits in an area of high unemployment – 9.4 per cent – in comparison to the UK national average, which is 7.7 per cent.”

The planners’ report says that the proximity to the school could “not solely warrant a refusal of planning permission” as the pupils have to remain in school during lunchtimes and therefore could not visit the KFC to buy unhealthy fast food.

However, they add that the increase in traffic caused by the drive-through would cause “disamenity to neighbouring residents”, as would people gathering outside the restaurant premises after closing time.

Advising council members to refuse the application, the planners say: “The introduction of a restaurant with a drive-through facility would be inappropriate in a location directly adjacent to residential properties, where it would be a likely source of injury to the amenities of the occupiers of those dwellings by reason of increased traffic manoeuvres, litter, noise nuisance, odour and general disturbance at unsocial hours.”

Councillors are set to make a final decision on KFC’s application at a planning committee meeting on Thursday, July 21, beginning at Rotherham Town Hall at 9am.