McDonald’s is considering submitting a new planning application for a location on Westow Street, in the heart of the Crystal Palace Triangle.

This new application comes three years after the fast food was rejected in its last bid to open up a restaurant in the busy South London high street.

The new plans, which were revealed to residents and councillors last week, reveal the new restaurant could be housed in the old Poundland store on Westlow Street.

Cavendish Consulting, the chain’s agents, also specified that the restaurant would take the form of a more ‘traditional’ style, with ‘seating and reduced opening hours.’

This latest application signals a significant downscaling from their last application in 2019.

Back then the chain applied to open a 24-hour ‘McDonald’s to Go’ restaurant on the then-vacant Pizza Hut site on Hayes Lane. 

This restaurant, which would prioritise takeaway and eschew seating, drew the ire of residents and was rejected by Croydon Council in October of that year.

The risk of increased anti-social behaviour was cited as a key reason for the rejection.

While the previous plans drew more than 850 people objections from the public, many said they would not have rejected the plans if the restaurant contained seating and was not open 24 hours. 

While the official planning application has not been submitted yet and thus residents cannot give official objections, the Crystal Palace Triangle has a distinct village feel that some believe is down to the number of independent shops in the area.

On the last attempt, some complained that chains like McDonald’s would ‘simply not fit in.’

Councillor Claire Bonham, ward councillor for Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood and the only Lib Dem councillor in Croydon, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) how she is willing to listen to the latest proposals.

She said: “Many residents will have strong feelings about McDonald’s opening a restaurant in the Crystal Palace Triangle.

"I have asked for further information on the timeline for this project and a full briefing on the proposals. In advance of this I am very keen to hear local views on the matter – whether positive, negative or indifferent. 

“Croydon Council quite rightly rejected the application from McDonald’s three years ago, so I will be keen to see how any future planning application from them will differ from the last one. I would urge McDonald’s to fully engage with the local community and share their plans so that residents get a clear and detailed picture of what is being proposed and when”.