Two 24-hour drive-thrus are to be built in Bradley Stoke after a developer won planning permission at appeal.

Brookmaker Limited Partnership’s plans for a McDonald’s and a Starbucks at the Willow Brook Centre had been rejected by South Gloucestershire Council on the grounds that the development would cause increased noise, litter and traffic problems.

But a planning inspector found there was no good reason to refuse the application and allowed it to go ahead.

In a decision published this month, the inspector acknowledged residents’ concerns but concluded that the two new fast food outlets would not create “unacceptable living conditions” in terms of noise, disturbance, odours or fumes. 

There was no evidence that the 24-hour takeaway shops would harm the health of Bradley Stoke residents, lead to worsening anti-social behaviour or result in a particular problem with litter or vermin, he added.

Extra traffic from the drive-thrus would be an “inconvenience” but not “harmful” to pedestrian and road safety, he said.

There had been strong public opposition to the development, which will lie close to a number of residential streets and schools.

Brookmaker’s plans were thrown out by a council development management committee in February 2019 before being rejected by a higher level spatial planning committee the following month.

The scheme will also see two extra units built at the shopping centre and the existing car park rearranged.