‘Fluorescent blight': Cops join bid to stop McDonald's opening in Redfern
Police have joined residents in their fight to stop a McDonald's from opening in the heart of a historic inner Sydney suburb, warning it will lead to a spike in theft and violent crime after dark.
A $3 million development plan for a new two-storey Macca's on Redfern's main dining and shopping strip, Redfern Street, has been lodged with City of Sydney council. The site, currently occupied by a tobacconist and linen shop, hugs the corner of Redfern and Regent Streets.
The proposal has already sparked widespread outcry from the community, who have labelled it a 'fluorescent blight' and a 'poison and blemish on the map of Redfern', while business owners told news.com.au earlier this year it would be 'a step backwards' for the suburb.
In a new submission to City of Sydney council's independent planning panel, Senior Constable Peter Langbein raised fresh concerns that increased foot traffic as a result of the restaurant could contribute to robberies, violence and e-bike theft in its surrounds.
'Patrons leaving the premises during late hours are likely to engage in a range of behaviour, which need not rise to a level of criminality yet will adversely affect the neighbourhood, including talking amongst themselves, yelling, screaming and arguing,' he said.
Objectors to the plan – of which there were 269 submitted to council, versus 17 in support – many also took issue with the McDonald's proximity to Indigenous community services.
Redfern was the birthplace of the Aboriginal civil rights movement in the 1970s.
Chair of the Aboriginal Housing Company, Alisi Tutuila, said it would undermine work done by groups to make the suburb safe at night, while the council's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Panel said the fast-food giant would 'encourage unhealthy dietary habits' and 'exacerbate existing health disparities'.
In a statement to news.com.au, a McDonald's spokesperson said it welcomes 'feedback from Council and the community and will be engaging openly with stakeholders and community members over the coming weeks to understand and address any concerns'.
'For more than 50 years, Macca's has been a proud member of Australian communities providing hundreds of local jobs and supporting local community groups,' the spokesperson said.
'We are always looking for opportunities to better serve our customers and communities and see strong potential in Redfern.
'If approved, the proposed McDonald's in Redfern would create more than 100 local jobs, create opportunities for community partnerships and sponsorships, and involve an investment of approximately $3 million.'
David Jank co-owns a local bar – Arcadia Liquors – which sits just two doors down from the proposed site and voiced serious concerns about the plan.
Speaking to news.com.au in January, Mr Jank said the new franchise would be an 'enormous change' and said the move would be 'insensitive'.
'I've owned the bar 12 years, I know a lot of social problems that are in existence in the area,' he said.
'I just can't see any positivity to it whatsoever.'
Licensee of Redfern pub, the Tudor Hotel, Gabriel, also said he understood the community's concern.
'The last few years Redfern has been changing for the positive. I think this is a step backwards,' he said.
Beloved Redfern figure Joe Ambour – whose hardware store Ambour Hardware has been open 55 years – said the area has become unrecognisable in recent years with the new McDonald's a sign of the times.
'People don't want the customer service anymore,' he said.
'They just want what is cheap. They will google whatever is the cheapest and just go there.'
He said that the McDonald's would make little difference to Redfern's shopping village.
'There is already kebab shops and a Dominos.'
City of Sydney Council is expected to recommend the proposal be refused at a planning panel meeting on Wednesday.
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- News.com.au
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