Landowner pushes back against opposition to Goolwa's first McDonald's

Landowner pushes back against opposition to Goolwa's first McDonald's In short: A property in Goolwa is under contract to the fast-food giant, subject to state planning approval. The landowner says a McDonald's in Goolwa will employ young people and bring increased competition for takeaway food. What's next? An application is expected to be made to the Fleurieu Development Assessment Panel soon. The landowner where Goolwa's first McDonald's could be built has pushed back against local opposition, saying residents have a "democratic right" to choose what to eat or drink. Mick McArdle's commercial property at Hutchinson Street is under contract to the fast-food giant, subject to approval of a development application expected to be lodged with the Fleurieu Development Assessment Panel soon. But it has faced vocal opposition, first from a volunteer group dedicated to protecting Goolwa's culinary and cultural heritage, and then from Alexandrina Council, which recently voted to oppose establishing chain-based fast-food outlets in the seaside town. "I don't think that people should have the right to take away other people's democratic right to choose what they eat or drink," Mr McArdle said. "It's not just a one-way street. "A lot of people actually like the idea of having a McDonald's here. Alexandrina Council last month voted in favour of Cr Peter Oliver's motion, which stated that 38 food outlets in the area, including restaurants, cafes, supermarkets and service stations, already offer food. The motion passed, but not unanimously. It followed lobbying by Cittaslow Goolwa, a volunteer group of about 250 members. Goolwa was the first Australian town to be accredited by Cittaslow International in 2007, a European movement that promotes quality of life and sustainability in towns and cities, and handed a "slow town" status. Cittaslow Goolwa vice-president Christine Putland said recently that the town already sold takeaway hamburgers and did not need to rely on a "multinational company" to create more. "Even if the franchises might be more local or state-based, it is still not growing out of the community," she said in August. But Mr McArdle, who has lived in the town since 1978 and runs an automotive repair business on the site, said a significant portion of the town's population of more than 8,000 wanted a McDonald's because it would give young people work, and create more competition for takeaway food. "Competition has to be good for the people in Goolwa; competition keeps the prices at a reasonable level," Mr McArdle said. "And one of the service stations where you come into town has golden fried chicken, pizzas, the whole lot. "It's all fast food, so why do you discriminate against one fast food and not another?" He acknowledged he had a vested interest in the situation, but pointed out members of Cittaslow Goolwa involved with food outlets did as well. "At the end of the day, if the development application ticks all the boxes as far as zoning and all that sort of stuff, then why should they [McDonald's] not be able to go in there?" Mr McArdle said. Alexandrina Council Mayor Keith Parkes said there were "definitely people in the town" who backed a McDonald's but "the vast majority didn't". "It would be interesting to know whether the people that are in favour are long-term residents or fairly new residents to the area," he said. He agreed that a McDonald's would require local staff. "However, the small businesses in the town at the moment and around the place, struggle to get staff as it is, particularly in the hospitality area," Mr Parkes said. "It's very seasonal down here." Aside from a McDonald's at the top of the Fleurieu Peninsula at Aldinga, there is only one other McDonald's on the peninsula, which is located 17 kilometres to Goolwa's west at Victor Harbor. "It will be very interesting, when eventually all the information comes out in the open, just where we stand with who's for and who's against it, and their reasons," Mr Parkes said. He reiterated that any development application requiring a change of use for the site would not go to the council for consideration. It would go to the Fleurieu Development Assessment Panel — an independent body established under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016.