Garage's 24/7 Burger King bid sparks concerns over traffic, litter and obesity

PLANS for a 24-hour Burger King drive-thru in Totton have been met with concerns about traffic congestion, littering and obesity.

Euro Garages Limited, which oversees the petrol station in Ringwood Road, has applied to New Forest District Council to extend its current building to incorporate a Burger King ‘food to go’ counter inside.

It also wants to add a drive-thru lane from Maynard Road to Ringwood Road.

The Burger King would be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week – the same as the petrol station, the plans say.

The petrol forecourt will not be affected and the on-site car wash will be reconfigured so the entrance is also from Maynard Road. Car parking will also be added, although the amount of spaces has not been announced.

If given the go-ahead, the new restaurant will create an additional two full-time positions and four part-time roles.

The application states: “Euro Garages Ltd’s business model is centred around a mixed-use arrangement of complimentary facilities which provide for the needs of passing motorists.

“These sites depend on high volumes of passing traffic and, typically, they provide a modern, clean, mixed development of petrol station with ancillary Spar/Sainsbury’s convenience store, Starbucks, Greggs, Burger King or Subway.”

Totton and Eling Town Council's planning committee has recommended the plans be approved by the district council.

However, Cllr David Harrison, who is a town, district and county councillor, has objected and requested the application be debated at a meeting of the district council’s planning committee, rather than rubber-stamped by planning officers.

He said: “There are issues such as the potential for traffic congestion, air quality and public health that need to be considered.”

Another objection has been made by a neighbour, who said: “This is an example of blatant overdevelopment. Totton is already served by a very high number of fast-food outlets and takeaways.

“The choice of location for this suggested Burger King is totally poor. The road surrounding the Euro Garages (Esso) in Totton is already easily overloaded into a chaotic state due to the nearby train gates, which often cause a backlog of traffic and regularly reaches the mini roundabout by Esso at peak rush-hour times.”

He added: “I believe the drive-thru entrance will also back up to a point where it will cause problems for people wanting to get into Asda. I also object to this plan on the basis of increased littering around the centre of Totton, where it is already rife.

“As a local resident I already have to deal with almost daily discarded food wrappers and waste being thrown outside my home. This development will exacerbate what is already a massive problem."

A district council spokesperson told the A&T that although the application was due to be decided in September, it was awaiting additional information requested from Euro Garages Ltd.

The spokesperson could not confirm a timeframe or whether it would be ready in time for the next planning committee meeting, which is scheduled for 9th October.