WORK is pressing ahead on a new 140-seat restaurant and ‘drive-thru’ McDonald’s at Westpark 26 business park at Chelston.

The new restaurant will create 65 full-time and part-time jobs – 45 full-time equivalent positions.

Developer Summerfield has been working with Devon Contractors on the restaurant, expected to be completed and open by early next year.

The burger chain will join a Costa Coffee ‘drive-thru’ along with The Skylark Pub, Subway and Budgens convenience store as part of the petrol filling station on Westpark.

A McDonald’s spokesperson said: “We are excited to be part of this development and look forward to the new jobs our restaurant will create, and the investment it will bring to the local area.”

Summerfield’s commercial director Ben Trickey said: “McDonald’s will add to the existing amenities on site at Westpark, offering the resident and local businesses an excellent working environment and amenities.”

In the picture (from left) are divisional director David Partridge, commercial director Ben Trickey and group commercial director James Holyday, of Summerfield, with quantity surveyor Darren Hunt, contracts manager Simon Lawrence and site manager Lee Middleton, of Devon Contractors.