New McDonald's could be torpedoed by objection

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has registered the objection to the current plans for a restaurant at the site of the old gas works on Aitken Street, near Riverside Road.

According to documents lodged as part of a consultation, Sepa fears that the site could be flooded if heavy rainfall causes the River Leven to overflow.

Sepa has based the objection on a failure to provide information about flood risks, saying that a previous incident raises the probability.

The documents say: “We hold a recorded flood event in 2001 whereby the drainage systems backed up due to high river levels and were exacerbated by exceptionally high tides which resulted in multiple roads being flooded including Riverside Road.”

A McDonald’s spokesperson said: “We continue to work with the council on our plans for a new restaurant in Leven and to address any concerns regarding the site.

“If approved, the restaurant would create 65 full and part-time jobs and bring significant investment to the local community.”

The planning application was initially lodged with Fife Council back in January this year.

The proposed plan indicates that the fast-food giant wants to install a car park, outdoor seating, and play area.