McDonald’s is hoping to have a Wānaka restaurant up and running by 2026.

The fast food giant has received approval to purchase a 0.3 hectare Wānaka site for its proposed restaurant, a consent decision from the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) says.

The OIO decision said the restaurant “is expected to be operational by 2026”.

Few updates have been provided since news of McDonald's plans for a Wānaka restaurant became public - to much local fanfare - in November 2023.

A petition was quickly created which opposed the company’s proposal for a round-the-clock, 24/7 McDonald’s operation with a restaurant and drive-through.

The petition now has close to 5,500 signatures.

Read more: Residents not lovin’ it - McDonald’s backlash

The OIO decision does not identify the location of the 0.3 hectare site but lists Mt Iron Junction as the vendor. Mt Iron Junction owns the site McDonald’s proposed for a Wānaka restaurant in its resource consent application to Queenstown Lakes District Council (just off the SH6/SH84 roundabout).

QLDC has not yet made a decision on the company’s resource consent application, which proposes a 445m2 restaurant that could seat 75 diners. 

The application is currently on hold at the applicant’s request. 

McDonald’s application to purchase the Wānaka land went through the OIO (which administers New Zealand's overseas investment laws) because the applicant is ultimately owned by McDonald's Corporation, a publicly listed company on the New York Stock Exchange, the OIO decision said.

“Consent has been granted because the application met the investor test and the non-residential use test,” it said.

IMAGE: Supplied