An appeal against Renfrewshire Council's rejection of plans for a commercial development in Paisley, featuring a McDonald's drive-thru restaurant, is expected to be determined in the coming months. Chargemaster, trading as BP Pulse, was denied planning permission for the proposal, which also included an electric vehicle charging hub, at a site north of St James Avenue.
Appeal Progress and Timeline
The application, which claimed the venture would create as many as 120 jobs, was thrown out by elected members at a meeting earlier this year. But it challenged the ruling and the Scottish Government's planning and environmental appeals division intends to make a decision by the start of October.
A case update said: "The planning authority response to the appeal has been received and the case is ready to be allocated to a reporter. The reporter will review the case and consider any further procedures."
Council's Refusal and Grounds for Appeal
Council planners' recommendation of refusal – citing loss of open space and trees as well as the impact on the character and residential amenity of the surrounding area – was accepted by the planning and climate change policy board in May. But Gravis Planning, working on behalf of BP Pulse, set out the grounds of the appeal in a statement last month.
It said: "The site is unallocated 'white land' within the RLDP [Renfrewshire Local Development Plan] and comprises brownfield/previously developed land which is currently vacant with overgrown shrubs, mature trees and a mound of rubble." It added: "The site is not considered to be a high-quality useable open space for amenity or recreation purposes and has no particular civic value."
Council's Response and Nearby Development
The proposals would retain a significant proportion of the open area within the site and include the addition of high-quality landscaping and planting. "The design/landscaping ensures that impacts on amenity of residents is minimal."
The local authority has drawn attention to separate plans for a petrol station, kiosk, electric vehicle charging and drive-thru café at a nearby location in West March Road. EG on the Move's proposed development – which it also rejected – is set to go ahead after it was allowed on appeal by the Scottish Government.
In its response last week, it said: "The council considers that the position taken on appeal reference PPA-350-2602 further compounds the overall unacceptability of this site for the development as proposed through this current appeal, particularly noting the fact that the site subject to this appeal is immediately adjacent to residential properties on St James Avenue with no intersecting land or areas of woodland to provide a buffer and/or screening from it from the proposed development. Its redevelopment would result in the properties of St James Avenue to be open and exposed to both this development but also the EG on the Move development subject to appeal reference PPA-350-2602."
The target date for the case has been set as Thursday, October 1.
