McDONALD’S has said a new drive-thru restaurant on the outskirts of Belfast will create 65 jobs.
Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council has given the fast food giant planning permission to build the outlet in Derriaghy.
The restaurant is set to be constructed at the entrance to City Business Park, close to Oakwood Integrated Primary School.
McDonald's has said that apart from the management team, it will seek to recruit almost all of the new staff from the local area.
In a statement, the company said: “We can confirm that we have successful received planning approval for a new drive-thru restaurant on McKinstry Road, Derriaghy which will create at least 65 jobs in the area.
“We are excited to be progressing with this opportunity and the significant investment it will bring to the local community.”
Despite the proximity to the primary school, the immediate area surrounding the new restaurant is largely made up of residential and industrial developments.
The new McDonald’s site had been openly marketed by property agents CBRE since October 2016, but with very limited interest from industrial users.
Businesses operating in the proximity of the drive-thru will include Montupet, Charles Hurst, BT and Bombardier.
In a report submitted alongside McDonald’s application, the agents for the fast food operator said 71 per cent of occupied lands and buildings around the site were in some kind of industrial or employment use. They pointed to large vacant spaces available nearby.
McDonald's said it had identified another site at Kingsway/Dunmurry Lane. But this was disregarded as it was earmarked for residential development by a developer, who they said ‘was unwilling to sell’.
Agents for the fast food giant said ‘no other sites were identified as being suitable in the town centre, edge of centre or out of centre locations’.
Planning officials at Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council accepted that there was sufficient capacity in the surrounding area, meaning the addition of the fast food chain would not impact potential industrial development.
In a report recommending the approval of the restaurant, officials also accepted that the project will have economic and community benefits for the area.
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