McDonald's has claimed that its proposed new restaurant is needed to take the pressure off other branches in York.

The plans for the new fast-food restaurant, in the former Iceland building in Fulford Road, have sparked controversy since they were first submitted in April. McDonald's hopes to build a 7,700 square feet retail unit on the site, which would be open seven days a week, from 7am-11pm.

So far, a petition against the development has garnered almost 3,000 signatures, and nearly 300 objections on City of York Council's planning portal.

McDonald's hasn't updated the planning portal for some time until - on September 11 - its planning consultants Lichfields submitted a letter on the fast food chain's behalf.

The proposed site for the new McDonald's, in the former Iceland in Fishergate (Image: Newsquest)

Associate director of Lichfields, Daniel Gregg, said: "The scheme proposes the re-occupation of a vacant former Iceland food store by McDonald’s restaurants, who have a requirement for a further restaurant in York to take pressure off their existing restaurants in York, all of which are trading at levels beyond their capacity.

"The re-use of existing vacant commercial premises clearly offers obvious benefits in terms of bringing existing property back into productive economic use and in sustainability terms, particularly in the context of the embodied carbon within the existing building.

"The proposed development is a restaurant and would offer circa 110 seats.

"It is not a drive thru restaurant / there is no drive thru lane proposed and it is envisaged that the primary use of the unit will be as a restaurant (rather than as a take-away)."

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Concerns about the potential of a McDonald's in Fulford have been raised by local school head teachers. As reported by The Press, the head teacher at York Steiner School, Ruth Crabtree, and the head of Danesgate School, Chris Nichols, feared that a nearby fast food restaurant sent the wrong message to pupils.

But Mr Gregg said the McDonald's plans would create 45 new jobs.

He said: "McDonald’s invest more than £43 million in training each year and those employed at the proposed restaurant would be given the chance to undertake structured training and obtain nationally recognised qualifications in hospitality, literacy and numeracy all the way up to full business degrees.

"The scheme would also deliver a range of other benefits, including conducting a minimum of three daily litter patrols, whereby employees pick up not only McDonald’s packaging, but also any other litter that is discarded within a 150 metre vicinity of each restaurant."