PEOPLE fighting to stop the transformation of Blackfen now hope they are on the road to victory.

Bexley councillors have refused to endorse a planning officer's recommendation to give the green light to a drive-thru McDonald's restaurant opposite Safeway.

Traders and residents fighting to stop the McDonald's being built also hope to stop the licensing of The Woodman pub next door, until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays and Bank Holiday Sundays.

At a packed Bexley Council planning control meeting last week, councillors were asked to approve plans for a new McDonald's on the site of a former petrol station and public toilets, in Westwood Lane.

The scheme had been recommended for refusal at a previous planning meeting but was withdrawn at the last minute after Bexleyheath police changed their minds about objecting to the plan.

Resident Chris Eady, of Queenswood Road, spoke of people's anger at the police's decision not to oppose the application. It followed the offer of £47,500 from McDonald's for measures to control youth disorder in the shopping centre, which police had previously described as a disorder hotspot.

Mr Eady described the money as "30 pieces of silver" and accused the police of "throwing Blackfen residents to the lions."

The entrance and exit to the proposed restaurant would be via Lyndon Avenue and then into Westwood Lane. But councillors and local people said the additional traffic would cause chaos.

They said vehicles would find it impossible to turn right in and out of Lyndon Avenue, which is opposite the access to Safeway's supermarket, and huge queues would build up at the traffic lights.

Cllr Nick O'Hare also presented a 500-signature petition opposing the closure of the public toilets claiming the facilities were well used.

When it became obvious a majority of committee members did not want to approve the plans, the decision was postponed until the next committee meeting so officers could produce a report reflecting councillors' concerns about youth disorder and traffic problems.

Now local people are hopeful the project will be rejected.