Fast food giant McDonald's is hoping to celebrate the New Year with its first drive-through restaurant in Oxford, writes Mark Templeton.

The burger chain's plans to build on the former Motorworld site, in Abingdon Road, are due to go before the city council's planning committee in January.

The proposed drive-through, near the Redbridge park and ride, would have up to 70 seats and 35 parking spaces. Strong opposition from residents forced the Banquet Group - owners of Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken - to ditch plans for a drive-through take-away, on the site of the Friar Bacon pub in Elsfield Way.

However, local councillor Bill Baker said he had not heard of any opposition to the McDonald's scheme.

But he added: "I do have some reservations about the possibility of late-night opening causing a disturbance to residents and problems with littering, and I'll make sure these matters are addressed when the planning application is discussed."

Story date: Wednesday 29 December

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.