McDonald’s Granted Permit For Drive-Thru Outlet In Żebbuġ ODZ Area

The Planning Authority has recently approved a planning permit for McDonald’s to construct a new drive-through in the industrial outskirts of Żebbuġ.

The proposed site, located on the main street of the town, is located adjacent to a fuel station and a warehouse. This decision comes amidst controversy concerning local zoning policies and potential impacts on traffic flow and local businesses.

The site, encompassing just shy of 1,600 square metres, will see the McDonald’s building occupying less than a third of the area.

The remaining space will be used for landscaping and an underground car park for 33 vehicles. The main access point for customers will be via Mdina Road, with a secondary access point for deliveries located at the rear, on Sqaq tal-Ħlas.

As defined by local plans from 2006, these areas are mainly designed to accommodate industrial or commercial activities and are located outside development zones (ODZ).

Despite these concerns, a traffic impact assessment found that the new drive-through restaurant is not expected to cause significant congestion or increase in traffic.

Bjorn Bonello, a traffic expert, stated that the study took into account other fast-food outlets in the vicinity and found minimal impact on traffic flow.

However, there have been objections to this assessment. Critics argue that the study needs to be updated, as it was carried out before upgrades were made to the Siġġiewi junction, and thus, it is outdated.

Architect Ruben Sciortino insisted that the traffic study failed to consider queuing on the street to enter the drive-through and cars exiting onto the main road, focusing only on light and heavy vehicles.

Some people raised concerns that the proposed restaurant and drive-through would violate several policies. Despite these objections, PA chairman Emanuel Camilleri stated that the project was in line with planning policies and that Transport Malta had given approval to the traffic impact assessment.

The decision by the Planning Authority was not unanimous. Seven board members voted in favor of the project, while the Żebbuġ local council representative initially wished to abstain but ended up voting against the project, as abstention was not permitted.

What is your opinion on this recent development?