Last week, McDonald’s Restaurant (NZ) Limited submitted a resource consent application for a 445 sqm restaurant and drive-through to go in a soon-to-be-developed subdivision at the foot of Mt Iron, next to the new roundabout.
Resource consent documents submitted by the company confirm that the "restaurant and drive-through" are proposed to operate on a 24 hours per day, seven day per week basis.
Wānaka has previously shown opposition to fast-food franchises gaining a foothold in the resort.
Part of the Wānaka 2020 document, which was developed by the community in 2002, includes a section about not allowing international fast-food franchises to set up in town.
In 2016 the group Ban International Fast Food Franchises from Wānaka started a petition asking for international fast-food franchises to be banned from the town.
McDonald’s Restaurant NZ spokesman Simon Kenny said the company was "always assessing potential sites" as part of their ongoing new restaurant development plan.
"While there have been rumours about McDonald’s coming to Wānaka for some time, we’ve not previously had a site that we thought would meet our criteria.
"Working with a local developer we now have a site we think is suitable, and we’re commencing the formal council consent process."
No timeframe for the restaurant’s consent process has yet been given. Mr Kenny said McDonald’s was "committed to working through that process as required".
