ANGRY Woolston residents are rallying against plans to build a new McDonald’s near their homes.

It comes after the American fast-food giant appealed a decision by city planning chiefs to reject its proposals for a new drive-through outlet on Portsmouth Road.

Now residents have come forward to raise their opposition to the proposals.

They are also calling on fellow residents to submit their objections to the national planning inspectorate, ahead of the deadline tomorrow.

One resident, Brian Chambers, 72, who lives in Canada Road, said: “I’ve counted 30 takeaways in Woolston.

“The parking is already bad with people stopping on double yellow lines.

“The area around the Itchen Bridge is full of traffic and Portsmouth Road is a very busy road anyway. Having McDonald’s will make it worse.”

Mr Chambers, a grandfather-of-four, added: “I do a lot of litter picks round the area and this will make it worse.”

Another resident, Amy Willmott, who lives in Ludlow Road, said: “To me it just seems like the wrong location.

“There is a lot of traffic there and a lot of people use the Itchen Bridge, it gets busy in the morning and evening.”

Mrs Willmott, a tax advisor, said she had already contacted fellow Woolston residents in the hope of getting them to submit their thoughts to the planning inspectorate.

It comes after McDonald’s lodged an appeal to the national body, following city planning bosses rejecting its proposals.

Councillors went against officer recommendations to reject the plans, over fears the fast-food restaurant would increase anti-social behaviour.

They also raised concerns that the planned three-storey restaurant would be an “overdevelopment” of the site, which currently houses a single-storey building.

A spokesperson for McDonald’s, said: “If approved, the new restaurant will create at least 65 full and part-time jobs and we look forward to working with the local community on our plans.”