Controversial plans for a drive-thru McDonald’s in the car park of Tesco Extra in Trowbridge have been withdrawn.

Plans by the fast-food giant for a second Trowbridge site have been pulled following objections raised by Wiltshire Council’s highways officer. This means that the application cannot be appealed.

Campaigners who accrued hundreds of signatures petitioning against the plan, described the result as 'a relief.'

The highways officer said the plans did not contain enough information around the loss of car parking and access.

They added: “The proposal of a food outlet in this location will not complement the vision for the town centre in Wiltshire Core Policy 28 and Masterplan.

“By encouraging motorised traffic and pedestrian movements to this edge of town centre location and away from the town centre.”

When asked about potential future plans a spokesman for McDonald’s said: “We are not looking to pursue this application, but we continue to explore alternative opportunities in the area.”

Over 100 people had made representations against the development plans alongside a petition decrying the restaurant which was signed by more than 1,500.

Ivor Drinkwater, who helped rally residents against the plans and displayed banners around the area, said: “It’s a relief. It went on for so long and we wondered if we had to move but not, hopefully, nothing else turns up and we can get on with our lives.

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“We appreciate all the hard work people have done and the support we’ve had.

“It’s a great weight off our shoulders. You can sleep at night now and not have to worry about it all the time.”

Mr Drinkwater also thanked the town council, residents, supporters and the highways team for putting in objections to the bid.

The town council rejected the plans back in September based on the concerns put forward by the Longfield residents about noise, anti-social behaviour and impact on green space. Since learning of the drive-thru bid, Longfield residents had been active to raise awareness of the issues they believed the application would bring.

Fellow campaigner, Carl Maddox, says the issue was not the restaurant plans for a second site but the location – being built at the back of the Longfield estate and by one of the town's green spaces in Biss Meadows.

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"We're coming out of Covid now and it means they [McDonald's] can start looking at suitable locations – there's loads of brownfield sites that can be built on," he said.

"I'm glad that Wiltshire Council saw sense and I'm glad that McDonald's will look at a location elsewhere. I just hope they look at a location that's going to benefit the town."

On Facebook, Cllr Antonio Piazza said: “We all want investment in Trowbridge, new jobs and opportunities for residents here; however, we need to pull businesses to the town centre."

“We have to try and avoid creating this doughnut shape around Trowbridge where investment is happening on the outskirts and not in the centre.”

He added that the £16.3m cash injection from the Future Highstreets fund will go some of the way to helping this.