Plans for £5 million McDonald’s and Starbucks drive-thru at Huntly step up a gear

Plans to build a McDonald’s and Starbucks drive-thru in Huntly have taken a step forward as official plans have been lodged with Aberdeenshire Council.

The £5 million scheme has been dreamed up by Dean West Huntly LLP, a joint venture between local shortbread firm Dean’s and Aberdeen developer West Coast Estates.

The proposed fast food drive-thru and coffee shop would be built on a piece of land at Linnorie Business Park on the outskirts of the town.

If approved, it would be located next to a Dean’s warehouse, bounded by the A96 and the Old Military Road.

It has been estimated that the development could contribute more than £100,000 a year in business rates – providing a welcome boost for the local economy.

What would the Huntly development have?

The site would feature the two new drive-thru units as well as an electric vehicle charging hub.

The new McDonald’s restaurant would have room for 76 diners, and create 120 full and part-time jobs.

Cycle and pedestrian routes have been included in the site plan too.

Meanwhile, a picnic area will be formed in the centre of the site with benches, tables and a water bottle refilling station.

Good news for electric vehicle owners

The electric vehicle charging hub, to be operated by Dutch company Fastned, would provide four hyper-chargers under a solar canopy.

These super-fast devices should be able to top-up electric vehicles in the time taken to wolf down a Big Mac or slurp an Americano.

It would be large enough to have space for eight vehicles.

Fastned say that energy generated by the canopy would be enough to power up to four charging sessions per day.

Huntly location ‘not a place to pass’

CAG Architects said the site would “bring interest to the A96, engage with passing traffic and bring a vibrancy to the town”.

They add: “The fact that this pit stop is a solid hour drive from Aberdeen and some two and a half hour cycle from Westhill on a popular cycle route makes it ideal to stop, not a place to pass.”

Dean’s say the proposal, which was unveiled in November, would help to further diversify the business.

It comes as McDonald’s revealed its plans to expand even further in the north-east.

A new restaurant could soon be making its way to Ellon.

But there have been warnings that new Scottish planning rules could make it trickier for drive-thru developments like this A96 scheme to gain approval. 

You can view the Huntly proposals here.