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pers.co.uk www.taylornewspa Thursday, December
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Pupils celebrate first 100 days at opening
Animals brave the elements at wildlife park
Page 5
Pages 8&9
McDonald’s decision due as objections taken away By Samantha McGregor A DECISION over plans for a drivethru McDonald’s restaurant in Bicester is imminent according to a council officer. Tesco wants to build a two-storey fast food restaurant covering 548sqm at land near its petrol station, at Lakeview Drive. But traffic concerns have been major stumbling blocks since the application was submitted to Cherwell District Council in April. Last month Oxfordshire County Council’s highways department withdrew its objection to the development over more queuing at the A41 roundabout. Traffic modelling showed the development was only expected to have a “small” impact on traffic in the area. Now Cherwell has confi rmed the planning application would be decided by officers and “it’s likely that this will happen before Christmas”. It comes after Miles Young, a director at Buckingham-based Martin Robeson & Partners, the agents working for Tesco, called for the planning authority to “confi rm the council’s position” and said there was “no sustainable reason why the application cannot now be approved”. Meanwhile, the McDonald’s drive-
thru at Baynards Green, also in Bicester, is taking shape. The fi rm won planning approval on appeal to build the 24/7 facility which will create 65 full and part-time jobs. It is advertising roles with a start date of this month. The application has had a mixed response from residents, but many support the development. The two-storey restaurant will include a 24/7 drive-thru facility, patio and play area and 25 parking spaces. It would create 70 full and part-time jobs. In a statement a McDonald’s spokesman said: “The Baynards Green restaurant is due to open on December 20. “Regarding Bicester, if we are granted planning permission then we will start work as soon as is possible.” In October the chain closed its Banbury town centre restaurant after 34 years. The spokesman said: “The decision was not taken lightly and all members of staff were offered employment in nearby restaurants.” Tesco opened at Lakeview Drive last year after relocating from its site in Pingle Drive thereby enabling Bicester Village to expand into its old site. As part of the multi-million-pound deal cash has been used to improve the road network in the area.
Next round in hospital battle
Horton Hospital campaigners face an anxious wait after they took their fight to the Royal Courts of Justice last week. The group together with four councils set out their case for a judicial review into the consultation over the downgrading of services at the Banbury hospital. See page 3 for more
The Oxfordshire Guardian has more printed copies than any other newspaper in the county
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