Locals are not lovin’ plans for new McDonald’s outlets in these tourism towns

When Phillip Island residents started looking for details about a new McDonald’s outlet proposed for the township of Cowes, their online searches generated some confounding results.

Why were there so many responses about a fast food application in England’s Isle of Wight?

The communities of Cowes on Phillip Island and the town of the same name on the Isle of Wight are separated by more than 17,000 kilometres, but share a common fear about their future. In both coastal communities, there has been a fierce backlash against plans for a new McDonald’s outlet.

Those concerns, however, are not limited to Cowes. Across Victoria, from Castlemaine to Northcote, residents are fighting the fast food giant’s encroachment.

Many Phillip Island residents who oppose McDonald’s plans want the Bass Coast Shire to follow the lead of its British counterpart and reject the application for a 24-hour outlet.

Say No to McDonald’s member Trevor Ryan said community concerns about the proposed outlet for Cowes ranged from environmental damage and health impacts to traffic and road safety issues – particularly for young children at the primary school just metres away.

He said the global hamburger chain would devastate the tourism destination’s food scene by taking business away from local operators.

“Phillip Island’s appeal is built around distinctive local food, drink and visitor experiences,” Ryan said.

Opponents fighting McDonald’s in Cowes fear it will generate a wave of packaging litter that will compromise Phillip Island’s unique coastal wildlife.

“Rubbish does not just blow into the next suburb, it blows into our ocean,” Ryan said.

McDonald’s has applied to the Bass Coast Shire to operate 24/7 with a maximum of 50 seats. If approved, the outlet would be less than 20 metres from the boundary of Cowes Primary School and is directly opposite retirement home units. It would be the first McDonald’s outlet on Phillip Island.

The application has triggered about 1000 objections lodged with the Bass Coast Shire council. By comparison, it has received 26 letters in support.

One of those supporting letters said a McDonald’s outlet would provide jobs for young people as well as somewhere to get coffee after 2pm and food after 8pm when other businesses have closed.

Another supporting letter said the proposed site was beside a service station, making it a suitable location while also providing a food choice for emergency services and shift workers. A 7-Eleven outlet has been approved for that service station site.

However, an online petition opposing the McDonald’s outlet in Cowes has more than 5700 signatures.

Cowes health and wellness coach Victoria McGregor-Dawson said Phillip Island did not need McDonald’s. She said the location directly opposite retirement units was particularly problematic.

“You’ve got the elderly people living here, and they’re going to be infringed upon by lights, noise, smell on every level,” she said.

Later this month, the Bass Coast Shire will hold a public meeting to hear from residents about their views on the proposed McDonald’s outlet.

But councils have traditionally had little power to reject fast food planning applications. And when they do, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal can overturn those decisions. A McDonald’s outlet is under construction in Northcote despite vehement protests from residents.

The Victorian parliament has passed legislation giving councils new powers enabling them to consider the health implications of planning applications. Presently, councils cannot assess planning applications on health grounds.

But the new powers do not come into effect until October next year, and opponents of the proposed new outlets say the fast food giant is trying to ram through planning applications while it can exploit the existing rules.

Residents have also mobilised against plans for a McDonald’s outlet in the gold-rush town of Castlemaine, which remains free of global fast food franchises.

Mac Off Protect Castlemaine coordinator Vicki Anderson said the looming new laws were not strong enough, and needed to focus on the pattern of fast food operators setting up near schools.

“We don’t consider the legislation strong enough to deal with this specific issue,” she said.

Anderson said McDonald’s had bought the site it intended to develop in Castlemaine, at the town’s arrival point, but was yet to submit a planning application to the local council.

She said the proposed location was inappropriate for a fast food restaurant.

“It’s a major walking, cycling and traffic route.”

Sustain: The Australian Food Network executive director Nick Rose said McDonald’s was attempting to secure new outlets in Victoria before councils had the chance to block them. He said fast food corporations were targeting growth areas, often crowding out healthier options.

“We have a public health problem in this state,” Rose said.

He argued communities had a right to live free of fast food outlets if they wished.

“They want healthier food environments for themselves and their kids,” he said. “For me, it’s a question of democracy.”

But McDonald’s asserts its outlets deliver numerous community benefits. A company spokesperson said one of its new outlets could generate investment of $3 million to $5 million, creating hundreds of jobs in construction and ongoing employment after opening.

“When considering new restaurant locations, we assess a range of factors including zoning, population growth, traffic flow and accessibility, to ensure we can meet the needs of local communities,” the spokesperson said.

The company said it valued community feedback and worked with councils to ensure development applications complied with planning laws and regulations.

But Phillip Island Business Network member Geoff Moed disputed suggestions McDonald’s would deliver an economic boost to the community. He said the company used technology, including customer touch screens, to minimise staff numbers.

“It’s a multinational company that sends the bulk of their money overseas,” Moed said.