Work begins on McDonalds restaurant in Carrick-on-Shannon

Work on a McDonalds restaurant in Carrick-on-Shannon has reportedly begun.

The restaurant chain received planning permission in September 2021 to build at the Rosebank Retail Park in the townlands of Attirory and Attifinlay.

The development will comprise a 418sqm two-storey drive-thru restaurant, with 31 car parking spaces (including two mobility impaired spaces, three electric vehicle spaces and two grill bays), bicycle parking and an outdoor seating area.

The proposed development also includes signage and elevational treatment, boundary treatments, hard and soft landscaping, and all necessary site works.

A number of objections to the development were raised during the planning phase including concerns regarding traffic congestion and proximity to a secondary school, with one concerned local resident citing "the obesity epidemic" as part of their objection.

Prior to the commencement of works, McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland Limited also commissioned a report to produce a Japanese Knotwood management plan for the development.

This follows results of a walkover survey which identified the invasive plant on the site.

Japanese Knotweed out-competes Ireland’s native flora due to the formation of dense stands. If left unchecked, the plant can cause damage to hard surfaces and structures by exploiting small cracks.

The management plan aims to contain it and prevent further spread.