The debate over a proposed hotel and drive-through facility on the edge of Welshpool has risen again after a change to the planning application saw Burger King sign up for the development.

A 40-bedroom hotel and drive-through at Moors Farm, Rhallt Lane, on the A483 in the outskirts of Welshpool, will now see the Greggs outlet originally planned to be part of the development with a Burger King drive-through restaurant.

Welshpool Town Council are expected to address the change at an upcoming meeting, where they will put together an official response to the development.

Speaking as a resident of Welshpool, Cllr Nick Howells said: “Personally, I wouldn’t want developments of this kind to be going ahead unless they were in the confines of the town centre.

“The change in which restaurant it is doesn’t take away from the fact that the plans will see a lot of development being carried out which could lead to business being taken away from the town centre.

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"But currently that’s only my own opinion on the matter and not an official town council position.”

Welshpool Town Council and members of the public voiced opposition to the plans when they were announced in August 2022, after two previous planning permission applications were withdrawn.

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The council opposed the proposal based on concerns over the possibility of traffic congestion, the flow of vehicles in the area, an increase of pollution and litter, as well as fears over the hotel drawing trade and tourism away from Welshpool’s town centre.

At the time, member of the public Annette Rushton said: “Welshpool town centre seems to be dying, local businesses need people to be encouraged into town, not lured to the outskirts.

“The presence of McDonald's already creates traffic congestion, illegal parking, increased amounts of litter, and makes it more difficult for emergency services to access the area in case of emergency. We can’t see how adding an extra hotel and drive thru will do anything to reduced that.

“It feels to us that this development is too much, in the wrong place, will lead to congestion, pollution and further decline of our town centre.”

Speaking at a Powys Council planning meeting in September 2022, Cllr David France objected by saying: “The out of town developments are already significant enough that Welshpool is being bypassed by some tourist traffic.

“This would send a clear message to investors that the town centre is done.

“Town centres are not dying they are being killed and the murder weapon is developments like this one.”