Almost exactly a year since McDonald’s abandoned their proposals to bring Big Macs, McFlurries and a whole heap of mopeds and potential trouble to the Crystal Palace Triangle, now another fast food giant is eyeing the area for a new outlet.
The McDonald’s proposals were dropped in February 2024 after they received a sizeable public backlash, as well as some objections from the Met Police.
The global burger-and-fries chain explained their decision was because of “commercial reasons”. It was the second occasion when McDonald’s had worked up plans for the Triangle, close to two conservation areas, following a previous pitch, in 2019, when they wanted to open a 24/7 “McDonald’s to Go” takeaway-only outlet.
That 2019 planning application was rejected as “inappropriate” by the council’s planning department, while the Met described the proposed fast-food joint as “likely to give rise to gang activity”; “potential for increased rates of robbery”; and “potential for more road accidents, especially involving scooters”.
It might just be that a brand of Portuguese peri-peri chicken is not considered quite as objectionable as the ubiquitous golden arches to the residents of Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, where LibDem Claire Bonham is one of their councillors.
Planning check: Cllr Claire Bonham
Today, Councillor Bonham told Inside Croydon: “I am keen to hear from residents as to their views on this planning application.
“The application from Nando’s is clearly an improvement on previous plans for a takeaway-only McDonald’s restaurant, which was rightly withdrawn.
“Increasing footfall in the Triangle is important to support all businesses, and so I will be studying these proposals very closely.”
The councillor asks residents to email their views to her at Claire.Bonham@croydon.gov.uk, or to view the planning application in detail on the council website and posting a comment there.
Read more: ‘People power’ sees McDonald’s abandon their Triangle plans
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