SOUTHAMPTON Itchen MP John Denham has urged fast food giant McDonald's to tell the public its plans for a popular pub.

The Daily Echo revealed today how the global fast food chain has submitted a pre-planning application to build a new restaurant on the site of The Bittern pub in Thornhill Road, Southampton.

Contracts were exchanged between the firm and Punch Taverns - the owners of the lease - last month.

Now Mr Denham says the public is “fed up with giant companies treating local communities with contempt.”

He said: “Yesterday investigations revealed that Punch Taverns are in the process of selling The Bittern to McDonald's. And McDonald's confirmed that they have submitted a 'pre-planning application' to the city council.

“But because such applications are confidential, council planning officers cannot tell us what the plans are.

“Thornhill and Harefield residents have a right to know how these secret plans will affect their lives. How much traffic would they generate? How many hours do they want to create a nuisance? How much waste and rubbish will local people have to put up with?

“The city council has listed the Bittern as a community asset.

“Local people would like to buy the pub for the community. Unfortunately Punch Taverns seem determined to sell it to McDonald's in what looks like a cut price deal. But the best outcome would still be to let local people buy the pub.”