Fast-food chain McDonald’s have appealed a decision made by Ealing Council to refuse the addition of a new drive-through restaurant in Acton.

An application to redevelop a site at the junction of Leamington Park and Western Avenue - to provide a two-storey building with vehicle access from Western Avenue, car parking and landscaping including outdoor seating area, canopy and refuse storage - was refused by the planning committee on March 18.

McDonald’s then made an appeal to the Secretary of State against the council’s decision on June 9.

Jonathan Notley, on behalf of the West Acton Residents' Association (WARA), said: “Air pollution is a serious problem in London. Horn Lane gets a triple dose of this from the industrial site near Acton mainline station, from local through traffic, and from its proximity to the A40 arterial road.

“In light of this, it is unbelievable a surplus piece of land owned by Transport for London (TfL), at the junction of the A40 and Horn Lane, has been earmarked for a drive-in McDonalds.

“2,000 cars a day will leave their engines running as they wait for their Big Macs, in a drive-in lane that backs onto residential gardens. We should be discouraging car use, not giving drivers an extra reason to take the car and pollute the environment.

“This is land that was earmarked to contribute to the A40 green corridor, which will now be desecrated. Instead we will end up with a concrete crime and grime corridor, as late-night opening may attract undesirable elements to our residential neighbourhood.

“In addition, the access road cuts across the new Cycle Superhighway, which will be used by thousands of cyclists every day. Safety concerns were the main reason why this planning application was rejected at Ealing planning committee. Now this decision is at risk.”

In the council planning report, Nick O’ Donnell, assistant director of strategic transport, said while the council had been aware of the Cycle Superhighway, members and officers had not been made aware that TfL had fundamentally changed the status of the scheme from aspiration to confirmed, by approving the capital works budget, just prior to the committee meeting.

Given the significant change in status and impact on both pedestrians and cyclists along the A40, the application was now recommended for refusal.

A McDonald’s spokesman said: “After careful consideration we can confirm we have decided to appeal the decision made in March.

"We believe opening a restaurant here will see positive investment in the area, create new jobs and demonstrate our long-term commitment to the Acton area.

“As a business we not only take pride in the local communities in which we operate, but we also recognise our wider responsibility to help protect and preserve the environment.”