The proposal from McDonald’s Australia was to establish a $1.7 million restaurant operating every hour of every day at 212-214 King Street, which faced significant pushback.

There are already six chicken shops, including KFC and El Jannah, within a 170-metre radius of the proposed site. 

The local planning panel considered the proposal during a council meeting this evening, where residents voiced their distaste.

“Newtown has a community spirit. King Street serves as its vibrant hub. People cherish this street. I personally adore it and would be devastated if a McDonald’s were allowed to come in, potentially displacing the beloved small businesses,” remarked Liam Coffey.

“There will be no available restrooms, no designated loading zone, and no parking. These infrastructural issues could severely impact our neighborhood and cause gridlock,” added Michaela Davies.

Concerns from NSW Police echoed these sentiments, highlighting that a 24/7 McDonald’s could spur anti-social behavior, worsen traffic congestion, compromise pedestrian and road safety, and increase crime rates.

This evening, the proposal was officially rejected due to its dependency on a street-side loading zone and footpaths for deliveries, as well as its trading hours conflicting with those of local businesses.

It was also found not to account for or comply with the public domain, waste management, transport and parking and social and environmental responsibilities.

Council also noted that it received more than 1400 submissions from the public, with the majority of those in objection.

“It is therefore concluded that the proposal is not suitable for the site and is not in the public interest. The application is recommended for refusal,” the assessed application read.

The recommendation of refusal was adopted after the matter was put to members of the meeting, and ayes and clapping rang out across the chamber.

9news.com.au has contacted McDonald’s Australia for comment. 

The City of Sydney knocked back a similar McDonald’s proposal to bring a restaurant to Redfern in May. 

The community feared it would bring crime to the area, with an overwhelming majority of submissions from the public also being against the plan.

Residents won their fight against a McDonald’s in Manly Vale and Mount Evelyn.

Melburnians are in a similar fight against a plan for a McDonald’s in what could be the city’s equivalent of Newtown’s King Street – 323 High Street in Northcote.