A new McDonald’s has been given the green light in the upscale Auckland suburb of Ōrākei, despite resistance from the local community.
Following a three-day hearing, an independent panel approved the fast-food chain’s resource consent application, subject to certain conditions.
“We are obviously pleased with the commissioners’ decision and will continue to work through the process to establish a McDonald’s restaurant at the Kepa Rd site,” McDonald’s spokesperson Simon Kenny said.
In 2023, McDonald’s submitted a resource consent application to construct a drive-through on Kepa Rd. Local residents responded by launching a petition against the proposal, raising worries about possible health risks for children, increased litter, and traffic issues.
McDonald’s later withdrew its initial application and then resubmitted a revised proposal in 2024, stating that the new design addressed community concerns and would offer social benefits, including providing food outside of regular business hours for shift workers.
The updated application attracted 381 submissions: 331 opposed the project, 45 supported it, and 5 were neutral.
Auckland Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson acknowledged that the proposal had been a concern for many members of the community.
“While I know the decision will be disappointing for some members of the community, we need to respect the decision and now ensure that the conditions the panel applied are met,” Simpson said.
Simpson stressed that the independent panel carefully reviewed all the evidence and took it into account before reaching settlement. He said the key consideration in the decision is whether the proposal complies with the Resource Management Act criteria, rather than concerns like public health.
Submitters who want to challenge the decision have 15 working days to file an appeal with the Environment Court.
Wānaka says ‘No’
A few months ago, plans for the first McDonald’s restaurant in Wānaka were declined, following strong community opposition and concerns over the town’s unique character and environment.
McDonald’s has submitted an application to build a 455-square-metre restaurant featuring a drive-through and parking on Wānaka-Luggate Highway near Mt. Iron. The company filed the resource consent application in November 2023, aiming to open the restaurant by 2026.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council invited public feedback on the proposal, receiving over 360 submissions, the majority of which opposed the development.
Local residents expressed concerns that the new McDonald’s would harm the town’s visual character and aesthetics, increase litter, and conflict with Wānaka’s strong community values around protecting the natural environment.