Second McDonald’s Proposed for Letterkenny Faces Appeal
Letterkenny, Donegal – Plans for a second McDonald’s restaurant and drive-thru in Letterkenny are currently under review by An Coimisiún Pleanála following an appeal lodged against the development. Local developer PJ McDermott applied for permission to build the new outlet on Port Road, near Rossview business Park and the Polestar roundabout, prompting both approval and objection.
The proposed restaurant would involve demolishing an existing two-story house and a single-story commercial building.while Donegal County Council initially granted permission in August, subject to 19 conditions – including operating hours limited to 8am-11pm - nearby business owner Eddie Tobin filed an appeal citing traffic concerns and aesthetic issues. Tobin argues the site’s location near the Polestar Roundabout will create traffic problems, specifically noting the lack of a right turn into the proposed site could lead vehicles onto neighboring properties. He also criticized the proposed traffic management system and the building’s design, deeming it lacking in “architectural quality.”
The existing McDonald’s on Pearse road will remain open, with the company intending to service both locations with a single delivery route for efficiency. Letterkenny’s first McDonald’s opened on November 12, 1999, and has been the sole location serving the town for over two decades. A decision from an Coimisiún Pleanála is expected in the new year.