Campaigners in Nantwich have hit out at plans to open two fast food takeaway stores at a petrol station in the town.
Motor Fuel Group, who run the filling station at Morrisons in Nantwich, has applied for planning permission to build a Greggs and Burger King there.
They say the plans will help create 30 jobs and will also create an EV charging zone and jet wash bays.
But Sustainable Nantwich campaign group have objected to the plans and say they and many residents “hold deep concerns regarding the environmental, social, and economic impacts of this proposal on the environment, the town’s unique character and economy, and on community wellbeing”.
In a strongly worded written objection to Cheshire East Council, Jeremy Herbert, director of the campaign group, said the addition of fast food outlets “completely undermines and contradicts the environmental credibility of the project”.
He added: “The amended proposal to include Burger King and Greggs fast food outlets will significantly increase traffic in an area already suffering considerable congestion, particularly around the junction adjoining Pratchett’s Row.
“This junction is already challenging and hazardous, particularly during peak times, with queues regularly forming along Pratchett’s Row and Hospital Street, towards Churches Mansion.
“This additional drive-in urbanisation would simply add even further to this unsustainable growth.”
Mr Herbert also says the proposed development will worsen air pollution and noise, “directly contradicting both local and national carbon reduction goals and Cheshire East’s environmental commitments”.
He added: “The plans lack clarity regarding the impact on the existing hedgerows surrounding the site, which contribute to local biodiversity and carbon capture.
“The potential removal or damage to these hedgerows for site access and construction would negatively impact local wildlife, countering biodiversity goals set out in Cheshire East’s Local Plan and undermining Nantwich’s environmental resilience.
“Nantwich is a historic market town, celebrated for its Tudor, Georgian, and Elizabethan architecture.
“The town and its residents are committed to independent, local and family-run businesses that contribute to its charm and visitor appeal.
“The introduction of fast-food outlets is not in-keeping with this character and would detract from the town’s high-quality shopping and visitor experience, harming the town’s unique character.
“It would detract from the town’s economic offer, and impact negatively on the local economy, encouraging drive in junk food throw away culture in contradiction of the quality local produce offer which underpins the town’s identity.”
Mr Herbert fears the introduction of “large fast-food chains” would also directly compete with the town’s small businesses in the food and drink sector.
“Sustainable Nantwich strongly supports the growth of local, independent businesses, which are essential for retaining the town’s unique identity and economic sustainability.
“Healthy local quality food is also an essential element in reducing the town’s environmental impact and tackling health inequalities and the obesity epidemic.
“Burger King and Greggs will attract more drive-in custom and generate more litter both in the town and beyond into the countryside – and the cost of clearing this will fall upon Cheshire East Council and the community.
“Yet a further cost to the local economy and the taxpayer. It will also help fuel the obesity epidemic.
“Multinational fast food outlets like Burger King attract the throw away culture that the town has been campaigning hard to counteract.
“Nantwich Town Council has signed up to the Plastic Free campaign and supported the campaign for a Plastic Free Nantwich.
“This addition of fast food outlets to the site will reduce quality of life for residents in the surrounding streets, encouraging anti-social behaviour, bright lights, urbanisation and commercial homogenisation – damaging everything that makes Nantwich such a great place to live.”
“We urge Cheshire East Council to refuse this planning application.”
You can view the proposals on the council’s planning portal here
Members of the public have until August 13 to submit their comments.
Replies are from a bunch of 60+ year olds that are scared of using the touch screens to order food. Pleading about obesity and traffic. Nantwich needs something like this. It’s an outdated town, much like most of its population.
Stop this madness it’s not the right place for this
On a lighter note I guess you can eat your takeaway food whilst sitting in you car in the traffic jams!!!!!
To Gez Hammond,
You are absolutely correct. Very well spoken.
Hope everyone objecting on this portal, voice their concerns on CEC website, as noted above in the article.
The idiocy of people never ceases to amaze…
The traffic is already bad in that TINY area. I can iust see people refuelling then either “nipping in” for a fatty sausage roll and making people wait, or driving across to Morrisons, where it is already like the fairground dodgems ride, thus adding to the general chaos of that congested area.
Never seen a greggs/burger king without its litter lying nearby. Never.
Fine, shove it in. We , ahem, you, are already the most obese people in europe.
Will avoid.
Research has established a direct link between fast food or junk food and increasing levels of obesity. The greater number of outlets results in increasing obesity. That is fact. Yes people have choice, yes we all like a burger now and again, occasionally. Look at the cost of obesity to the NHS and the tax payer, billions of pounds.
Local Authorities think in siloes. No joined up thinking or policies, never consider the unintended consequences. We will move the cost to the NHS Budget.
The tax payer pays a huge price for the chosen life choices made by individuals, whether it is chosen diet, because junk food is expensive. Whether it is recreational drugs, alcohol abuse, gambling, smoking, vaping, the list goes on. People always have the money to pay for their chosen life style decisions.
We all have right to chose, but other tax payers pick up the cost.
Then there the impact on litter, traffic etc to consider.
Soon Nantwich will look like the film set of ‘Shameless ‘ Then the Local Authority will be Happy!!!
There are a number of empty shops in Nantwich which could be used for this and make it a pedestrian walk through ……
But Nantwich does not need a Gregs or a BK full stop….
It’s a Stupid idea to build it in the area of Mossisons petrolstation and car wash area.
Nantwich has gat a huge traffic issue aready and now people who don’t live in the area want to do this …..
Yet another cash spiner at residents expence and motorist.
NO TO THIS
@Hattie Chewd
You are correct, your reply is a load of bo***cks
@JM
Before providing rude and snide comments about someone’s appearance or name, maybe take a reflective look at yourself and ask what your contribution you have made to your local society and environment has been. Plenty of opportunities out there if you’d care to get off the sofa.
Hmmmm, yes, at least with all the panic about the extra traffic, it just shows how popular these type of places really are………..well, at least in the real world.
On a side note, today I’ve walked past both a Burger King and a Greggs. In fact I walked past them twice & not once did anybody try to force me into either of them (Bugger!!!) So that’s the obesity argument out the window.
Not Needed.
Not Wanted.
No Thanks.
I travel all over the country for work and every town that has these kind of food outlets has a huge litter problem – have you been in and around Whitchurch recently and seen the Mcrubbish by the roadsides?…. I admit it’s not directly the fault of Greggs/BK/MD’s etc, but some of the inconsiderate customers that these establishments attract. Isn’t it better to support quality local businesses, not mediocre quality corporate chains?
The problem is every new proposal for a fast food chain gets refused in Nantwich.
One day one of the proposals is gonna pass and it’s gonna be in a stupid location like this and cause gridlock.
The problem is that most of the people objecting to this don’t need the jobs. We should look at sensible options to give people jobs and therefore contribute to the state.
Instead we have people on benefits because they can’t get a job and the same people moan about that too.
This will put a strain on litter levels in the streets. The reason the town is so much better these days apart from ANSA clears a lot of unpaid volunteers are cleaning the litter daily. Imagine if they stopped and this plan went through. You would certainly see the massive difference we need more Tarporley less Crewe
He looks like a Jeremy Herbert 😂
Nimby springs to mind !!
What a complete load of bollocks.!!
I think we should build a complete new town somewhere and call it Nimbyville then you could all go and live there in perfect harmony.
Best thing we could do for Nantwich is bulldoze it flat and cover it with trees.
Ahhh…. all that nice clean air.
Perhaps converting the former B&M to a McDonald’s is more logical. It’s large enough and as many did not want a residential development surely they would support this . As for Morrisons and the petrol station, the issue is traffic flow and the size of the two fast food outlets will be small so by definition it will be congested with vehicles and people hanging around the car park etc
We David? You dont speak for me madam! Speak for yourself. “I”…”I dont want it”. I would step over you for access to a burger king crown so I can say my favourite word upon aeroplanes good lady. I bite my thumb at you madam
Station Road in Nantwich can be congested enough especially when the level crossing gates are closed. Bring these two outlets onto the Morrisons sight will just add to the obstacles on station road. Two supermarkets and three crossings. Also morrisons need to consider the yob’s and litter this will attract. No doubt two large brown envelopes will help the plans to be passed.
The objection from sustainable Nantwich is fully justified.
It will attract a gross flow of delivery drivers who have no regard for the local custom fuelling obesity among people.
Must be stopped.
Its funny isn’t it. People in the comments sections a few months ago were bemoaning ‘Sustainable Nantwich’ for wanting to trial pedestrian only streets on weekends. I’m actually confident some members of the community were very derogatory.
Now Sustainable Nantwich are going to be everyone’s best friends r..e Greggs and Burger King.
I hope these plans get rejected. It just isn’t needed. I have no doubt people would flock to both but that isn’t the point. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
Lets focus on more local companies which we can support by keeping multi-national companies out.
It will increase traffic around Morrisons, its bad as it is. We dont want BK and Greggs in Nantwich. This needs to be stopped !
Ah yes, just what every historic market town needs, a double serving of flame-grilled Whoppers, and lukewarm sausage rolls. And what better place for a drive-thru than right next to a congested junction? The added excitement of gridlock should really put us on the map