A former Covid testing centre could be knocked down after being earmarked as the “only” site in Aberdeen suitable for a new drive-thru McDonald’s.
Rosehill Day Care Centre, on Ashgrove Road West, played a vital role in the pandemic as a walk-through facility when it opened last summer.
Now, people could be stopping by for meals-to-go instead of a lateral flow.
McDonald’s has applied for permission to knock down the three-storey Rosehill House to make way for the restaurant.
The global fast food giant says the “multi-million-pound” project can not be completed anywhere else in the Granite City.
Where would new McDonald’s be built?
The building was formerly a centre for autistic adults, but Aberdeen City Council put it on the market after an improved £4.3 million replacement opened in 2017.
The site lies on the junction with Anderson Drive and sits next to the SSE headquarters.
The proposed location is also close to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and Aberdeenshire Council headquarters Woodhill House.
Rosehill House site: Why is McDonalds lovin it?
Planning documents reveal that McDonald’s had assessed other sites in the city for the new drive-thru…
But bosses found reasons to rule out Cornhill shopping centre, Woodside and the Haudagain retail park.
And they said: “There are no available, suitable, or viable sites within the centre, or indeed in the wider surrounding area, suitable for a drive-thru restaurant.”
If the plan is approved, it would be the fast food chain’s sixth restaurant in the city.
There are already venues at Bridge of Don, Kittybrewster, Bucksburn, Union Street and Garthdee.
Covid testing centre demolition would make space for 120 new McDonald’s jobs
McDonald’s say the proposal is a “multi-million pound investment” in Aberdeen and would allow the firm to “meet customer demand and introduce additional choice in the market”.
The new restaurant is expected to employ more than 120 full and part-time staff if approved by the local authority.
It would have seating for 76 diners and an outdoor play area for youngsters to “climb and explore”.
A total of 50 car parking spaces has also been proposed along with provision for motorbikes and bicycles.
You can see the application for yourself here.
