Trowbridge homeowners’ relief as KFC plan is thrown out (From This Is Wiltshire)

Residents living near a Trowbridge business park have told of their relief after plans for a KFC drive-thru restaurant were thrown out by Wiltshire Council.

Trowbridge police and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service also voiced concerns about the fast-food chain’s application for Trowbridge Retail Park.

People living near the retail park say police are starting to crack an ongoing problem with anti-social behaviour, including the problem of boy racers using the car park.

Residents said this week they are not opposed to having a KFC in the town, just not at the retail park, which is already home to a McDonald’s drive-thru.

Helen Tedman, of Woodborough Close, said: “We used to have a lot of problems with anti-social behaviour and boy racers around McDonald’s, but since the neighbourhood policing team started more patrols, I hardly hear anything.

“We just don’t want the problems to come back again.”

Bradley Road resident Jane Robinson said she would welcome development on the Spitfire Retail Park, next to Trowbridge Retail Park, but not a takeaway. She said: “We would welcome retailers to the site to generate jobs, just not another fast food outlet after the problems we had before.”

Wiltshire Police originally wrote to the planning department regarding possible anti-social behaviour which could result from the introduction of a KFC outlet.

Wiltshire Police architectural liaison officer Claire Rooney said: “Wiltshire Police expressed initial concerns regarding this application in light of historical issues of crime and anti-social behaviour on a similar neighbouring site.

“The issues on this existing site were eventually reduced due to the partnership between the local council’s anti-social behaviour officers, the local neighbourhood policing team and site management.”

A KFC spokesman said: “We know we have many fans in Trowbridge which is why we were looking to open a restaurant in the area. The application was submitted by the landlord of the retail park and we will be working with them to review the decision and decide next steps.”