New drive-thru McDonald’s for Hyde back on the table

New plans for a drive-thru McDonald’s in Hyde have been tabled, seven months after the fast-food giant backed out of their original proposal.

The restaurant behemoth announced its ambition to build on the Viceroy Indian restaurant in August last year, submitting official proposals a few months later. However, plans were later withdrawn in April 2025.

Last month, Tameside council took action to help unlock the land around Grafton Street for development by selling some of their own land near the site. 

The local authority also tendered the sale of three more sections of land on Grafton Street in order to support the revival of the scheme.

Now Lichfields, the developer behind the proposals, has submitted a fresh planning application to the council. The revised scheme has seen some small tweaks to the design and layout of the proposed restaurant site.

If plans are approved by Tameside council, the Viceroy restaurant would be demolished and replaced by the new drive-thru restaurant. The new site would be accessed off Grafton Street and have enough space for 31 cars. 

This would be the first of its kind in Hyde, with the closest McDonald’s restaurant to the town being in Mottram. Bosses at the US fast-food chain said the plan would bring around 120 new jobs to the area as well as further jobs during the construction phase.

The new fast-food eatery would cater for local residents as well as passing motorway traffic, according to planning papers.

After town hall bosses agreed to sell off land to unlock the scheme, Tameside council’s executive member for finance and resources, Coun Hugh Roderick, said: “This strategic land disposal supports our commitment to economic growth and regeneration in Hyde.

“It involves selling small plots of unused brownfield land that alone don’t hold much potential nor value but put together they will help deliver a high-quality development and create jobs, as well as generating valuable income to support investment in infrastructure and facilities in the borough.”

Plans for the new Grafton Street McDonalds in Hyde. Credit: Lichfields