American fast food giant McDonald’s is set to take over the site of a former Cold War nuclear bunker, after plans were given the green light.

The creator of the Big Mac has reportedly been trying to establish a base in Hexham ‘for a long time’, according to decision-makers.

But despite concerns raised about the impact on views of the town, the health of its families, the impact on other businesses and littering, development chiefs followed the guidance of a formal recommendation to approve the application.

Read more:The story of the Hexham bunker that would have ruled the North East in the event of nuclear war

“I think this will be very welcome to a lot of people in and around Hexham,” said John Riddle, county councillor for Bellingham and cabinet member for Local Services.

“I think it will actually draw people off the A69 for a quick pit stop and they might do a bit of shopping as well.

“In my opinion, it has no impact on the conservation area and it's not it's certainly not going to detract from the beauty of Hexham.

”We have to move with the times - we've got a Subway in Hexham now. and we're going to have, hopefully, in my opinion, a McDonald's as well.

“If this had this been next to a school I'd like to take a different view, but I think people have to take responsibility for their own lives and for their own family and I don't count this as being any problem at all for obesity.”

Cllr Riddle was speaking at last night’s (Tuesday, July 13) meeting of Northumberland County Council’s Tynedale Local Area Council, which was held in person but also streamed via YouTube.

The new restaurant and drive-thru is expected to create 35 full-time roles and a further 30 part-time jobs when it opens at the ‘Bunker site’, between Alemouth Road and the railway line.

The scheme appeared to split public opinion, with 25 comments submitted backing the plans, compared to 22 opposing.

Green county councillor Nick Morphet pushed for further details on levels of obesity in the town and was told 37.1 per cent of Year Six children in the Hexham Central with Acomb ward, which includes the site, were considered obese - above the threshold of 35.3 per cent which would have allowed the plans to be rejected on health ground.

But the panel was told that as the figure for Hexham as a whole was 29.9 per cent, the plans were considered acceptable, and voted to approve the application.

Previously home to a government facility, the Bunker site would have become the new seat of power in the North East in the event of nuclear war.

But the collapse of the Soviet Union saw fears of a devastating third world war fade and by the mid-1990s the site had been sold and later demolished.

The wider re-development of the site is also expected to include a Travelodge, a Lidl supermarket, and a new 250-space car park.

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