**McDonald’s Seeks Local Input for Planned New Drive-Thru in Swansea’s Parc Tawe**
Global fast food giant McDonald’s is seeking support from Swansea locals as it lays out plans to open a new drive-thru restaurant at Parc Tawe North Retail Park. If given the green light, this establishment would mark the eighth McDonald’s within the city, highlighting the company’s continued expansion in South Wales.
The proposed drive-thru, intended to occupy a currently vacant unit at Parc Tawe, was previously used temporarily as a job centre. According to the company, the new site could bring up to 120 jobs to the area, with both full and part time roles on offer. They’re also promising comprehensive training schemes that could eventually lead successful candidates into managerial positions.
McDonald’s has invited residents to take part in a two-week public consultation, accessible via their dedicated online platform. Here, community members are encouraged to share their views and suggestions by filling out a detailed questionnaire. The restaurant chain has stressed its commitment to engaging with the community, stating, “We are committed to listening to the views of the local community and want to hear your feedback on our proposals for the site.”
The feedback form asks locals whether they support the new restaurant outright, support it with some reservations, object to the plan, or are simply undecided. Respondents are also invited to indicate which potential benefits of the new restaurant they value most, including job creation, financial contributions to local council services through business rates, expanded food choices—such as sustainable, plant-based menu options—and support for charities and volunteer initiatives.
In addition, the questionnaire features questions about McDonald’s broader social and environmental schemes. Among these are the company’s pledge to support 3,000 apprenticeships by 2035, partnerships with youth charities such as Children in Need, and involvement with organisations fighting litter such as Keep Britain Tidy and Hubbub. There’s also reference to McDonald’s daily litter-picking efforts in the vicinity of their restaurants.
Efforts to address environmental concerns are also spotlighted. McDonald’s highlights a commitment to reducing emissions intensity by 31% across its supply chain by 2030, sourcing only renewable electricity, converting used cooking oil into delivery vehicle biodiesel, and a pledge that all new restaurants—including one recently built in Market Drayton—will meet net zero standards by 2030.
Football and youth activity initiatives also feature in the company’s pitch. The fast food provider champions a free football coaching scheme, through which it says it has delivered over five million hours of sessions to more than half a million children across the UK. These sessions include both training and the provision of essential equipment to encourage greater participation in the sport.
Despite these ambitious promises, Swansea already hosts seven McDonald’s locations, positioned throughout the city at Oxford Street, Fabian Way, Cwmdu Retail Park, Morfa Shopping Park, Fforestfach Retail Park, Foundry Road in Morriston, and at Penllergaer on the M4’s junction 47. The company will be hoping that demand in the city continues to outpace any potential opposition to another new site.
In the closing stages of the survey, community members are encouraged to contribute any other comments they might have about the proposed drive-thru, and to rate their overall impression of McDonald’s from 1 to 10. This kind of detailed feedback, the company argues, helps shape projects that are more responsive to local needs and concerns.
As public consultation continues, McDonald’s is pressing its case as both a source of job creation and a responsible actor on social and environmental issues. Whether these assurances sway public opinion remains to be seen, but for now, Swansea residents have the opportunity to make their voices heard as the city weighs up another addition to its fast food landscape.