A SCHOOL headteacher has spoken out at plans for a McDonald's restaurant in Perdiswell saying she fears for the impact on children's health.

The Worcester News revealed last week that the fast food chain is planning to turn the former Harvester pub into a takeaway and the chain has now submitted a full planning application that reveals it plans for the site in Droitwich Road to be a drive-thru restaurant.

But residents have already flooded Worcester City Council's consultation with their objections to the restaurant which would make it the fourth McDonald's in the city.

North Worcester Primary Academy is set to open in September at the former Park and Ride site in Perdiswell, just a few minutes walk from the site, and Kate Brunt, head of The Rivers Trust which is setting up the school, has spoken out against it.

"We are incredibly disappointed to learn of the plans," Mrs Brunt said.

"At North Worcester Primary, we feel very much at the heart of the Perdiswell community.

"With the UK now the most overweight nation in the whole of western Europe and the government strategically tackling childhood obesity by controlling the advertising and promotion of fast and junk foods to children, it seems wholly inappropriate to locate a McDonald’s restaurant in the immediate proximity of a primary school and sporting venues for young people.

"Whilst we work hard to support and collaborate with other businesses in our community, we cannot ignore the potential impact that a fast food outlet will have on both the welfare of our pupils and young people in the Perdiswell community, and also the character of the area.”

Mrs Brunt added she was shocked with a £10.5 million swimming pool and leisure centre, football pitches and new hockey pitches nearby there was no strategic plan to ensure new developments were in line with the existing sporting facilities.

The application includes plans for the partial demolition and re-construction of Perdiswell House, the installation of a drive-thru lane, adapting the site to provide car parking and a new patio area.

In the application McDonald's says: "The design and layout of the proposal is appropriate in the area.

"The site represents an appropriate location for a drive-thru restaurant, which will be well placed to offer refreshments to passing customers and those in the surrounding area."

On the council's website, neighbours are calling for the scheme to be rejected.

Nick Hope said: "Have we gone mad?

"A fourth McDonald's is definitely not needed - right opposite a new school, this is totally the wrong message. Bad idea all round."

Sarah Anne Kendrick said: "I'm sure they think it's shrewd business sense to be walked past every day by hundreds of young children, but it is surely the city council's job to protect our primary school pupils from being subjected to such an entirely unnecessary daily temptation."

And Suzanne Lawson simply said: "With childhood obesity figures being so high this is lunacy so close to a new primary school."

Residents have until July 9 to have their say on the application on Worcester City Council's website.

The application is expected to go before the planning committee for a final decision.