A proposal to relocate Hungry Jack’s to the corner of Cobra and Darling Streets has one family worried about the impact it will have on their lives.
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Adam Hawke and Sue Hanks live at 158 Darling Street, and under a development application (DA) before the Dubbo Regional Council, they could soon be living about 10 metres from the fast food restaurant.
They’re worried about the proposed 24-hour restaurant affecting their kids’ sleep and safety, as well as the value of the property they have called home for about 10 years.
“Our biggest concern is our kids,” Miss Hanks said.
“It’s people that are going to be coming around at two and three o’clock in the morning to get Hungry Jacks – are they going to be hanging around out the front?
“I don’t want my kids waking up in the middle of the night like ‘what’s that noise … Is someone trying to get into our yard?’ … I just want the kids to feel safe and happy here.”
The DA proposes to demolish the former Lion’s Pride restaurant, as well as the R1 General Residential zoned property located at 156 Darling Street. The Hungry Jack’s restaurant and drive-thru would be constructed largely on that lot, with the former Lion’s Pride lot to be dominated by parking.
The proposal does include a 2.4 metre high, 17.35 metre long acoustic wall along the boundary line towards the front of the Hawke’s property, as well as 16.88m long cantilevered acoustic fence alongside their backyard. In between the two, a 19.205m long tunnel encloses the drive-thru and food collection window.
But Mr Hawke fears it won’t be enough.
“Our kids are already in a very good routine and structure,” he said.
“I don’t delve into studies but … if you have bad sleep patterns it definitely impacts on your schooling. You don’t have to have to be Einstein to work that out.
“That’s our biggest concern – sleep for our kids.”
The total site measures 2,831.5 square metres, with a proposed restaurant floor area of 275m2.
“Especially with how much room they’ve got, why does it have to be right on our boundary line?” Miss Hanks asked.
“It’s definitely not going to improve the value of our property,” Mr Hawke added.
“Even if it goes ahead and gets relocated to the other side, potentially if we go to sell this house they say ‘oh, it’s a nice home but it’s next to a Hungry Jack’s’.
“We’ve only got one little house. One little family and one house. We work our butts off for it and that’s the killer. And at the end of the day it’s a future for the kids anyway, I mean it’s going to be there’s, not ours.”
The family is also concerned there’ll be increased rubbish along the street as a result of the development – they’re already picking up litter multiple times a week from another nearby fast food outlet.
The operational management plan put to council as part of the DA states “all adjoining property must be kept free of Hungry Jack's restaurant identified litter”, while the statement of environmental effects recommends a waste management plan be made a conditional requirement.
Adjoining owners have been notified of the DA and given until Monday to submit any objections to council. Any concerns raised would be addressed with the applicant and considered as part of the assessment process.
Developer Stuart Cole, of Cole for Cranes, declined to comment, instead saying “the residents can go through the council and the council can come to me”.
Hungry Jack’s was contacted for comment but did not respond before deadline.
