Latest McDonalds Manoeuvers!
It has been quiet on the surface over the last few months, but McDonalds is focusing on getting the council to issue a Certificate of Compliance.
What is a Certificate of Compliance you ask?
Why would McDonalds want one?
The Certificate of Compliance is required by McDonalds if they want to establish a baseline from which to measure the effects of the development (noise, traffic, lighting etc). Basically - they propose a use for the site, which does NOT have to be the same as what they actually want to do. In this case - ironically - they are proposing a massive fruit and vegetable store which will be open 6am to 10pm Mon-Sat (with slightly reduced hours on Sunday) to service the demand for fruit and veg just before you go to bed.
Their proposal suggests that such a fruit and veg shop will not breach any of the conditions of the district plan and doesn’t require resource consent. If the Council agrees with their proposal, they will then take the certificate to the hearing and argue that, as the council has agreed that they could build a megalithic fruit and veg shop without any trouble, the commissioners only need to take into account the difference between, for example, the noise of the throngs of people desparately looking for some fruit at 10pm on a Saturday night, vs a pack of noisy drunks cruising through the drive through at 2am for a feed and a fight. Of course, this would be a "less than minor impact".
The certification process will take at least a month for the council to decide.
Until this process is finished, McDonalds is unlikely to submit the final bits of information required for the Council to write up its report and set a date for the hearing.
07 November 2008 - We have learnt that the Code of Compliance request has been turned down by the Council. More details here....
28 November 2008. Join the meeting to hear if the F &V Market has will be rejected and McDonalds will have to proceed with the original plans for a 24/7 "Restaurant".
28 November 2008 : Join a meeting where a decision on the F & V market will be made. Details on the date and time here.
06 Oct 2008 : This new proposal has already been rejected by the council once. The plans were prepared for McDonalds in February 2008. McDonalds have ammended and resubmitted them.
All this to provide the Balmoral residents with an amenity they do not want or need!
Not happy with what McDonalds are doing?
Send them an emai!