Exclusive: 'We're not here to replace your fish and chip shop' writes Macca's Victoria

More than 5500 people have signed a petition against it.

A planning application has now landed at council.

And the company at the centre of it all has decided to make its pitch directly to Phillip Island.

When McDonald's confirmed in February it wanted to open a restaurant on the corner of Settlement Road and Thompson Avenue in Cowes, the response was swift.

A change.org petition rapidly grew to oppose the multinational's arrival on the island.

The fast food giant has since lodged a planning application with Bass Coast Shire Council on April 1 for what is officially listed as a "proposed convenience restaurant" at 157 Thompson Avenue and 190-194 Settlement Road.

But with the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix set to leave Phillip Island after this October's final race, and the island's tourism economy hungry for more options open early and late, the tide may now be turning in McDonald's favour.

In an exclusive op-ed for the Sentinel-Times, McDonald's Head of Development for Victoria Jonathan Yap makes the case for why a Cowes restaurant will benefit Phillip Island.

This is what he has to say:

The role McDonald’s will play on Phillip Island and why it matters

McDonald's opened its first Victorian restaurant in 1973.

Since then, our restaurants and franchisees have become essential contributors to countless regional Victorian communities.

Whenever we open a new restaurant, we're committed to making a positive economic and social contribution to the communities we serve.

This is especially true in Victoria, where McDonald's has 260 restaurants, employs 30,000 Victorians of all ages and sources thousands of tonnes of beef, chicken, potatoes, eggs, flour, lettuce and milk each year from the state.

When it comes to Phillip Island, where McDonald's has lodged a planning application to open a new restaurant in Cowes, positive local impact is a top priority.

We are genuine in our intent to be a good corporate citizen, taking an interest in and moving to help enable local community prosperity for years to come.

That said, we're aware that our plan to establish a McDonald's in Cowes isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Late last year, I started meeting with Phillip Island's business, government and community leaders to outline McDonald's plans.

These discussions have been respectful and constructive, and contributed to us identifying new opportunities for McDonald's to meet the expectations of Phillip Island.

Coming out of those conversations, and in the spirit of the current public discussion, I am keen to share how Phillip Island can benefit from a McDonald's presence.

Let's start with jobs.

A McDonald's restaurant in Cowes will create long-term employment opportunities that will help address Phillip Island's current job shortage and high rate of youth disengagement.

In the Bass Coast Shire, one-in-two adults are not working.

Youth aged 15-24 are especially disengaged, with 9.5 per cent neither working nor studying, compared with 7.5 per cent across the rest of the state.

A Cowes McDonald's will create a further 100-120 jobs once operational, and more than 100 jobs during development.

Our restaurants employ people of all skills and background levels.

It will offer casual, part-time and full-time roles for all ages, with flexible hours.

For locals seeking formal skills and training, it will offer a pathway to our leading training and development programs, including Archways to Opportunity, which can shave up to a year off a university degree and save students up to $20,000.

We also have a long and proud history of partnering with local disability employment agencies, giving everyone the opportunity to work in our restaurants.

We're proud of the one in 12 Australians who have worked at Macca's, and the positive impact we've had on their careers with many citing it as fundamental to their professional development and an enabling foundation for their successful careers.

We have heard concern that our Cowes restaurant would take away from locally owned businesses.

While it's accurate to say that all food service businesses in regional cities compete with each other to an extent, with 2.8 million visitors coming to Phillip Island every year, we'd like to think there's room on the island for everyone, and what we bring to the island is different to what's currently on offer.

Similar to other regions in Victoria where we operate, we're not here to replace the local fish and chip shop, the historic pub or the family-owned cafe.

Instead, we're looking to provide something new: a restaurant and drive-thru open for longer hours, a place where shift workers and people driving to and from the island at night can stop for refreshment, and a proudly Victorian McCaf and playground (PlayPlace) for local families to enjoy.

On top of this, McDonald's understands that local groups, clubs and organisations are key to the fabric of local community, so we work hard to support them.

As we work with council on the planning elements of our proposed site, I welcome the opportunity to hear from the people of Phillip Island over the coming weeks.

During the consultation phase, we truly welcome your input on local priorities and opportunities for the restaurant to deliver community benefit.

And if you're excited about us potentially opening in Cowes, we want to hear from you too.

A new McDonald's for Cowes will offer employment, serve up a locally sourced menu and provide a convenient, accessible restaurant for customers looking for great everyday value and those iconic Macca's moments.

Jonathan Yap - McDonald's Head of Development for Victoria.