A McDonald’s restaurant close to a rapidly growing town centre is set to close later this year ahead of refurbishment works.

This comes after plans were approved for an extension and new signage to be installed on the McDonald’s at Pavilion Square in Westhoughton.

Franchisee Gerald Thompson, who owns and operates 18 McDonald’s restaurants across Greater Manchester and Lancashire said he hoped to display the changes soon.

Mr Thompson said: “Our Westhoughton, Pavilion Square restaurant is due to close later this year to undergo refurbishment works which will create a modern contemporary dining experience for our customers.

“We are hoping this will improve the experience of both customers and the restaurant team and we look forward to showcasing the changes once the refurbishment is completed.”

The plans, put before Bolton Council on Friday, May 17, will see a new front and single storey extension built along with associated works.

This comes amid various ongoing plans including various new restaurants, cafes and businesses in recent months.

A range of plans for new housing have also been approved around Westhoughton in recent months and years.

The plans for the expanded McDonald’s will include a new shopfront with a new entrance door, updated drive through booths and a new access door with relocated signage.

A Bolton Council report said: “The proposed extension to the side will not exceed the maximum height of the host building.

“Nevertheless, due to the property being situated on a corner plot, it would be visible from the street scene.

“The proposed extension is however, modest in scale and would sit comfortably in relation to the size of the existing site and within the commercial context of the site and the surrounding area.

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“Due to the design of the proposed extension, together with the commercial nature of surrounding premises, it is considered it will complement the existing commercial property and will not have a detrimental impact on the surrounding street scene.”

The application did not receive any letters of objection and Westhoughton Town Council recommended that the bid be approved.

A separate proposal was also put forward for the siting of two Fascia signs at the McDonald’s.

Bolton Council approved the proposal for the siting of the signs on Wednesday, June 19 and the expansion plan on Friday, June 21.