Locals want a say on all night Big Macs

It's not grandma going out for a hamburger at 2am, it's hoons and boy racers, claims the local board. Photo / Richard Robinson

Pt Chevalier residents should have a say on plans by McDonald's to extend the opening hours of its fast-food outlet in the suburb to 24 hours a day, seven days a week, says the local board.

Albert-Eden Local Board chairman Dr Peter Haynes is angry about a decision by independent commissioner Greg Hill to limit notification to five nearby home owners and a service station.

In a written determination, Mr Hill said there was no need for wider public notification because the effects beyond the immediate area would be minor.

But Dr Haynes said: "It is arrant nonsense that the effects on nearby residents will be minor.

"It's not grandma going out for a hamburger at two o'clock in the morning, it's hoons and boy racers."

He said the board had expressed concerns to council staff about the limited notification but had been ignored.

Last month, Auckland councillors voted to give local boards an early input on contentious resource consents, but Albert-Eden and other local boards want the governing body to go further.

"We called for a thorough review of the entire process, but that's been completely ignored by the governing body," Dr Haynes said.

Two days ago, Waitemata Local Board chairman Shale Chambers criticised a decision allowing billboards on an apartment building overlooking historic shops in upper Symonds St.

Independent planning commissioner Karyn Sinclair granted permission for the billboards after a previous application was declined and a council officer recommended the latest application be declined.