Decision over McDonald’s delayed
Locals will have to wait a little longer to find out whether the ‘golden arches’ are coming to Wānaka.
The independent hearing panel which is considering McDonald’s Restaurants NZ’s application for a local McDonald’s restaurant and drive-though needs more time.
The panel initially planned to issue a decision by the end of this month.
A decision is now not expected until the week of February 10, a Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) representative said.
McDonald’s lodged its resource consent application for a 445m2 restaurant and drive-thru at 237 Wānaka-Luggate Highway in November 2023.
A three-day hearing on the application was held in Wānaka in November 2024.
See also: Protectiveness for town expressed as McDonald’s hearing concludes.
During the McDonald’s team’s right-of-reply, following the hearing, it made a concession.
Instead of operating 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week, as initially planned, if approved it would operate from 6am-11pm daily, the lawyer for McDonald’s said.
See also: McDonald’s: ‘Discreet’ amendment to Mt iron proposal.
If the restaurant is approved, McDonald’s has indicated it hopes to have the Wānaka operation up-and-running by 2026.
