However, those same submitters calling out the restaurant were called out for having double standards by the lone voice supporting the Wānaka proposal.
The second day of the resource consent hearing into McDonald’s application in Wānaka yesterday brought a wave of passionate community opposition to the restaurant.
The fast food giant is seeking consent to open a 455sq m restaurant on the Wānaka-Luggate Highway, at the entrance to Wānaka, with a drive-through operating 24/7.
The first and most significant opposing submitter was the Willowridge Development company, which had built the Three Parks development along Sir Tim Wallace Dr.
Willowridge lawyer Rosie Hill argued the location was not per-urban but instead semi-rural.
She specifically referenced the roundabout which McDonald’s had argued indicates an urbanising landscape, saying "we do not see how it changes the environment".
Willowridge planner Erin Stag said the area could best be described as a "transitional landscape".
Freshlink Grocer Wānaka owner Jesse Herbert said "a lot of people live in Wānaka because of the vibe shift when crossing the Crown Range".
He emphasised Wānaka’s natural landscapes, including the Mt Iron entrance, as the face of the town which should not be impeded by large international corporations.
Mr Herbert criticised McDonald’s poor choice in location and said if they had chosen a different area "they could have slipped in with zero opposition".
Wastebusters business development manager Sophie Ward voiced her concerns over what the restaurant would mean for Wānaka’s environmental progress.
She said the town had adopted a plastic-free model and the restaurant’s single-use packaging "does not abide by the ethos of the town".
She urged McDonald’s to consider a business model aligning with Wānaka’s philosophy of reusable cups and containers.
Local food systems expert Jane Lloyd said the restaurant also encouraged a harmful diet, saying the fast food offered led to cardiovascular issues and obesity. Many other submitters made similar arguments about health impacts.
Chief commissioner Helen Atkins said although the panel would take health concerns into consideration, they "can’t turn down a proposal under the RMA based only on the health impact".
That being said, not all of the submitters were against the proposal.
Dr John Cossens, who lived near Cardrona with a doctorate in market research, was the only supporter of the proposed McDonald’s saying that he felt there were "inconsistencies" in the opposition argument.
He made it clear that he had no association with the corporation, however some of the opposition had "double standards".
Dr Cossens said the WillowRidge Development submission against this change was ironic, saying Willowridge had been the biggest catalyst for change in this town.
The hearing is set to continue today.
By Rawan Sadi
