Concerns have been raised at proposals to extend a drive-through restaurant’s opening hours until the early hours of the morning.

Last week McDonald’s restaurant, in Shaftsbury Circus, South Harrow, applied to Harrow Borough Council’s planning department to extend its opening hours until 2am.

The branch currently opens until 12am on Friday and Saturday night and until 11pm for the rest of the week.

Mark Dunnning who lives across the road from the branch said: “My major objection is that it will draw traffic to the area and bring with it a lot of noise.

“The fact is this is a residential area. Yes there are shops here but there are flats above them and houses in the surrounding roads.

“I’m not against the company and I wish them well, but these proposals are inappropriate for a residential area and it think this is just a stepping stone to a 24 hour opening times.”

Harrow-on-the-Hill councillor June Baxter said: “It does not seem sensible to me for South Harrow McDonald’s to extend its opening times in this way, as I don’t think the site is suitable for virtually 24 hour opening.

“The residents would be disturbed during the night with more vehicles creating a noise nuisance, especially as it is a drive-through, and I’m also concerned that the problem of littering would increase.”

Last year the branch was given permission to extend its opening hours until midnight by Harrow council’s licensing committee on the condition it increases the number of bins on the site.

The Harrow Times has contacted McDonald’s about the plans and is awaiting a reply.