It's '˜pasta la vista' Bairns as Tony Macaroni is definitely not coming to Falkirk

Landowners confirmed an attempt to bring a branch of popular Italian restaurant chain Tony Macaroni to Falkirk fell through because council planners were against the look of the development.

Harvey Fields, of Eskgate Ltd, said the deal to bring Tony Macaroni to the town had fallen through some time ago due to differences of opinion over the proposed style of the building which would have been located on land to the south of 58 Grahams Road.

Mr Fields said: “It took us two years to actually get planning consent. Companies like Tony Macaroni have to have a certain style and we went back to Falkirk Council planners again and again with different variations, but none of them were what they were looking for.”

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The landowner added the council was leaning towards a development that looked more like a house than anything else and this did not sit well with Tony Macaroni and they walked away from the deal over a year ago.

“We have owned the site for 12 years,” said Mr Fields. “And whatever style of development is proposed it’s not what the council is looking for.”

Things looked positive back in August 2017 when Falkirk Council planning committee granted planning permission for the Tony Macaroni development.

At the time Councillor John McLuckie said: “I don’t see anything about this plan that would lead to concern over visual impact. We only have one tree that will be coming down so I see no reason to go against officer’s recommendations to grant this application.”

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There were calls to erect an eight foot high fence to screen neighbours off from the development, but it was felt the standard 6ft 6ins fence would suffice.

Italian restaurant chain Tony Macaroni had been looking at the site in Grahams Road, a former car sales outlet which has been vacant for well over a decade, to open its latest premises and had been negotiating the terms of a leasing agreement with Eskgate Limited and architects John Russell Partners on the design of the building for over two years.

John Russell voiced concerns at the time the multiple delays in the process would result in Tony Macaroni walking away from the site and this unfortunately proved to be the case.