McDONALD'S has been given the go-ahead to build a new drive-thru restaurant on the outskirts of Barnsley town centre.

The fast food giant applied to Barnsley Council in March last year to redevelop the former Gala Bingo site at the junction of Upper New Street and Thomas Street, opposite Morrisons supermarket.

The new restaurant is in addition to the one near Asda on Old Mill Lane - less than a mile away - and to the outlet at Stairfoot. It will be open 24/7 and is expected to create up to 65 jobs.

Following approval, McDonald’s has now submitted a separate application for prior notification to demolish the former bingo hall and clear the site to make way for the new restaurant which will be built where the existing building stands now, with drive-thru lanes going around the back of the restaurant, running alongside the boundary with Burleigh Street.

A detailed traffic assessment and traffic plan has been drawn up to manage traffic flows coming in and out of the site with access being from Upper New Street. The restaurant will have a 48-space car park, including two disabled bays and two bicycle shelters. Outdoor seating will also be provided on a patio area close to the restaurant entrance.

A planning statement says: “By redeveloping this brown field site, we are generating a functional use which aids the attractiveness of the surrounding area and benefits the community, providing employment.”

It has also committed to tackling any litter and antisocial behaviour issues. The document states: “McDonald's is committed to tackling litter in as many different ways as possible. It is company policy to conduct a minimum of three daily litter patrols, whereby employees pick up not only McDonald’s packaging but also any other litter that may have been discarded in the vicinity of a restaurant.

“Incidents of antisocial behaviour are kept to an absolute minimum through strategies such as staff training in dealing with incidents, liaison with community police officers and the use of CCTV cameras where necessary.”

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The 0.47 hectare plot was included in Barnsley Council’s plans to regenerate the wider town centre, published earlier this year. It forms part of the ‘southern fringe’, one of three key developments sites being looked at to see how it could complement the £130m town centre Glass Works revamp.

The area has already undergone some regeneration with the neighbouring former bed depot site turned into a Papa John’s Pizza restaurant and takeaway with a Crawshaws Meat Factory Outlet above.

The site had previously been mooted for part of a 70,000 sq ft superstore approved in 2012 but an occupier couldn’t be found for the major build and plans were shelved.