COUNCILLORS have given the go ahead for plans for a McDonald's to be built on an Asda car park despite it being slammed by residents.

The supermarket giant submitted two planning applications to Glasgow Council, one for a drive through restaurant and the other for retail units.

Both were given the go ahead by city planners yesterday.

However, councillors who wholly supported the developments, said that these applications could have been handled better.

Asda in Toryglen put forward plans to build six new shops, a new click and collect building, a relocated recycling centre and car parking alterations in the north area of the site, close to the main shop.

The supermarket also put forward plans to build a restaurant and a 24-hour petrol station shop, which would take up another part of the car park, at a site close to Prospecthill Road.

The restaurant space is to be a McDonald’s drive-through.

Councillors expressed reservations over this due to how

close the fast food outlet was

next to Holyrood High School.

Earlier this month we reported how Mount Florida Community Council said putting a fast food outlet so close to a secondary school was irresponsible.

It was also revealed at the committee that a decision was made to deliver the overall plans, which will see the supermarket’s car park transformed, in to two separate applications to avoid consultation with the public.

Planning rules state that a proposed development over 2.5 hectares must go through a pre-application process where the developer needs to go through a public consultation phase lasting at least 12 weeks. As a result splitting the plans in to two meant that Asda were able to push their plans through the planning process quicker.

Anna Richardson, a councillor for the Langside area, said: “I support these plans but I do have concerns about the way these plans were handled.

“The perception the public may have on how these were handled could be taken as one that is against what residents and community groups in the area think about the plans.”

Ms Richardson mentioned the objections put in by Mount Florida Community Council who were against the way the plans were presented to the council.

“There is record of the objections to show a small number of residents were against the plans,” added Richardson.

“But because the public were not involved in a consultation we don’t know how many people support this.

“I would think there is a large number of people in the area who do support this but, because the consultation was avoided, we just don’t know.”

Alistair Watson, a councillor for the Craigton area on the committee, said: “The perception is that Asda may have circumvented best practice to bring these plans forward.

“Although, the facts are that they haven’t it is important the council and developers do everything they can to work with the public.”