Call for community hub instead of McDonald's

Plans for the McDonald's restaurant in Cobham are in the early stages

Residents have started a petition calling for a community hub to be opened rather than a McDonald's.

The fast food giant is consulting on plans to open a new diner where the former Loch Fyne restaurant was in Cobham.

Concerns raised about the Portsmouth Road site include increased traffic, litter and an "obesity crisis in the UK".

McDonald's has been contacted for comment.

There are no plans for a drive through at the diner, and the company said it has "long wanted" to open a restaurant in Cobham.

The petition said: "The area needs a community hub, promoting social, mental and emotional wellbeing for residents, McDonald's is the direct contrast of that."

Early stages

Residents can give their views until Thursday on the plans, which a consultation website set up by the restaurant giant says "sensitively restore" the vacant site.

The site also said staff will undertake at least three litter picks every day within a 150m radius of the restaurant, removing all litter and not just that from McDonald’s.

The restaurant’s proposed opening hours are between 06:00 and midnight, seven days a week.

The burger chain is in the early stages of drawing up plans before it submits a planning application to Elmbridge Borough Council.