A NEW McDonald's will open in Chineham after the council granted permission to change the use of a retail unit to restaurant and hot food takeaway.

The new outlet will open on the ground floor of Chineham Shopping Centre.

The store will be located at the northern end of the shopping centre, as part of the pedestrianised courtyard.

The unit was previously occupied by Martins McColls and the Post Office and has been vacant since 2019.

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During the pandemic, the unit was used as an art gallery and pop-up cinema. But it has since been stripped back, awaiting a new tenant.

The unit forms part of the wider planning permission (ref 18/03417/FUL) granted on August 20, 2020, for the comprehensive redevelopment of Chineham Shopping Centre.

However, this planning permission expired on August 20 and the applicant, Supermarket Income Investments UK Ltd, is now planning to implement the permission to ensure the consented scheme can be brought forward over time.

The applicant said in its submission that a review of the 2020 permission is currently underway to determine how improvements to the centre can be delivered on a phased basis.

The application for the change of use to restaurant and hot food takeaway by granted by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council on Friday, August 18.

In giving permission, the council said the site for the new McDonald's is approximately 200m from closest residential dwellings and as such would not result in any unacceptable impacts in terms of noise or odour.

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The council considered that the change of use would not result in any adverse impacts and sufficient parking would continue to be provided to meet the needs of the district centre. 

The other McDonald's stores in Basingstoke are at Market Place, Brighton Hill Retail Park, Worting Road Leisure Park and Tot Hill Services on A34 Newbury Bypass.

Chineham Shopping Centre is located to the south of the A33. The centre also has other food and drink options like Domino's Pizza and Subway.