The ghost Burger King on a Welsh roundabout which was built but has never opened
The fast food giants won the right to set up shop after an appeal in 2023
The Burger King in Bridgend is located off the A48 Picton Court roundabout
(Image: Lewis Smith )
Residents in a Welsh town have been asking why a new drive-through restaurant still hasn't been opened. Those who live near the outskirts of Bridgend say despite a new Burger King being built in the Wickes car park off the A48 Picton Court roundabout for a number of months, it has never actually opened.
There has been controversy since the two-storey building off the busy road was given the go-ahead in 2023. This came after a previous planning refusal for the project from Bridgend County Borough Council.
It was initially refused because the authority said there was a lack of capacity for the volume of traffic the restaurant would generate, as well as there being no pedestrian crossing at the nearby roundabout.
However, the fast food giants won the right to set up shop after appeal when the planning inspector dismissed the council's objections saying they had failed to provide evidence to support the claims.
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It meant Bridgend Council also had to pay costs to the applicant for the appeal, as it was deemed to have behaved "unreasonably" by the inspector at the hearing.
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The site was later developed, with residents in the area saying it has now been there for around six months, leaving many questioning why it has not yet welcomed any customers through its doors.
Residents say the site has been completed for around six months
(Image: Lewis Smith )
When asked for an update on when the new restaurant was expected to open as well as what had been holding it up, Burger King declined to comment.
A Bridgend County Borough Council spokesperson however said the delay was down to "minor points" that needed to be resolved for it to be compliant with the consent.
They said: "In terms of planning permission, there are a few minor points that need to be resolved in order for the facility to be compliant with its previously granted consent.
"A Stopping Up Order is also required as part of the adopted highway is now occupied by the facility.
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"This is a legal process to remove or divert highway rights and is often used for development purposes."
Councillor Freya Bletsoe, who is the local ward member for the area said she had also been made aware of the situation and had been "inundated" by residents who wanted to know what was happening. For the latest Bridgend news sign up to our newsletter here.
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