Join us and local Illawarra residents to fight the proposal for a huge McDonalds outlet in the new Wongawilli Village Centre in West Dapto. This will have a negative impact on the health and wellbeing of the local community.

The campaign is at a critical point – McDonalds has taken the matter to court despite strong objections from community and the proposal being firmly rejected by Wollongong City Council and the Independent Planning Review Panel.

The amendments to the proposal which include removal of the proposed service station, and relocation of the McDonald’s from Raven St to West Dapto Rd, as well as incorporating various other traffic, parking and community spaces do not change concerns and objection. All evidence indicates that the overall impact of this revised application will be detrimental to the wellbeing of the emerging communities of the West Dapto Urban Release Area.

Our support is needed to stop this development going ahead. Would you want a McDonalds near your house, with the associated issues with traffic, noise, safety, litter, constant bright lights and no local access to healthy foods.

How can you help?

We need your voice to be heard and for you to share your concerns. It can be short and to the point. We have some form letters to get you started or see the key points below:

• Write a letter to the Planning and Environment team Wollongong Council: – download form letter here to get you started
• Spread the word – get your friends, family, neighbours and colleagues to do the same!

Current robust national and international research demonstrates that increased exposure to fast food outlets, or even having a fast food outlet nearby, negatively impacts a family’s dietary habits.

Dr Jennifer Norman, Childhood Obesity Research Coordinator
From her presentation at Wollongong City Council Local Planning Panel meeting, 24 September 2020

Key Points

Not suited to site

The proposal is not appropriate for the new village town centre . Wongawilli village was planned as a sustainable, walkable village development. People moved to the area on the understanding that the centre would offer facilities that are needed by the community such as a grocer, café, butcher or hairdresser. The McDonald’s Development takes the whole town centre footprint and will displace the potential for essential small-scale local businesses.

Healthy food options and outcomes

The Wongawilli Village Centre is suited to a small supermarket with access to everyday fresh food. Studies show that communities with healthier stores have healthier diets and there is clear evidence that increased exposure to fast food restaurants negatively influences children’s eating habits and increases children’s risk of obesity. This means ensuring healthy food options are available within walking distance of houses.

Rights of the child

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states that children have a right to the provision of adequate nutritious food. As malnutrition is seen not only as referring to insufficient kilojoules or nutrients but also excess kilojoules, the UNCRC requires governments to take action concerning food sales where this affects children’s risk of overweight.

Setting a Precedent

This is the first food and drink premises DA lodged for the West Dapto development, approval could set a precedent which not only contravenes the rights of children to the provision of adequate nutritious food but would give the green light for all future fast food development proposals.

Community Connection

Small scale local businesses would provide familiar faces and contribute to the evolution of a community hub, contributing positively to the wellbeing of local residents. The site is located adjacent to parkland and the river frontage with footpaths and trails connecting to many of the local houses.

Safety of Children

This DA co-locates a busy fast food restaurant with a child care centre, which has the potential to place children, visitors and staff at risk. These risks include fast food restaurant traffic; and pedestrian risk to children entering and leaving the centre from the high volume of traffic through the site that is not related to the childcare centre (revised application indicates that total traffic generation of the development would therefore be some 260 vehicles per hour two-way during weekday morning and afternoon peak hours).

We moved to Wongawilli to enjoy living in a semi-rural village, at the base of the escarpment where we thought that we could have the best opportunity to live a healthy lifestyle, as close to nature as you can get within an urban development. The [proposed] development of the Wongawilli village was something that wasn’t imagined by us.

Jennifer Styles, local resident.
From her presentation at Wollongong City Council Local Planning Panel meeting, 24 September 2020

Want to know more?

Reasons for refusal of the development as detailed in the Wollongong Local Planning Panel Assessment Report

Concerns raised at the Wollongong Local Planning Panel on 24 September 2020 – commencing 1 hour 36 minutes in to the meeting.