local - 2026-06-02

Balgowlah Residents Pack Court Site Visit as McDonald's Drive-Through Battle Heats Up

Around 70 residents turned out for a Land and Environment Court conciliation conference at the Roseberry Street site, opposing McDonald's appeal against council's refusal of a 24/7 drive-through

A long-running planning battle over a proposed McDonald's restaurant and 24-hour drive-through at Balgowlah took a significant turn last week, when the NSW Land and Environment Court convened a conciliation conference at the heart of the controversy — the Roseberry Street site itself.

A long-running planning battle over a proposed McDonald's restaurant and 24-hour drive-through at Balgowlah took a significant turn last week, when the NSW Land and Environment Court convened a conciliation conference at the heart of the controversy — the Roseberry Street site itself. Around 70 local residents attended the 28 May site inspection, making their opposition to the development unmistakably clear. The turnout underscored the depth of community feeling about a proposal that has divided the suburb since McDonald's first lodged its development application with Northern Beaches Council. ## Council Refused, McDonald's Appealed Northern Beaches Council originally refused the development application, citing concerns about the impact of a 24-hour operation on the surrounding residential area. The proposed facility would include a drive-through lane, with residents raising objections about increased traffic on local streets, noise from late-night customers and delivery vehicles, and the broader character implications of a round-the-clock fast food outlet in the neighbourhood. McDonald's subsequently lodged an appeal with the Land and Environment Court, triggering the formal...