<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mornington Peninsula locals have lost a six-year fight to stop the development of a fast-food restaurant just metres away from the foreshore.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Concerns about traffic, litter, and impact on smaller businesses were raised.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sand, salt and a servo have been the mainstays of the Safety Beach shoreline.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/israeli-gaza-hamas-war-military-to-pause-fighting-gaza-areas-concerns-over-hunger-surge/40a5b7bf-a40b-41f7-a618-b83c14d3ed4c" rel="" target="" title="Israel to pause fighting in three Gaza areas as concerns over hunger surge"><strong><span>Israel to pause fighting in three Gaza areas as concerns over hunger surge</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But now the tides of change are rolling in with the golden arches of McDonald's looming.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>For six years, locals have resisted, fencing out a commercial takeover.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But last week VCAT upheld an appeal to expand the service station and add a fast food outlet next door, calling the existing service station tired and outdated.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/mcdonalds-fight-against-safety-beach-victoria/57c44ad9-cf46-494f-8189-ec1b81f0e399" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mayor Anthony Marsh said it's a "step too far".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A major concern is the fear of traffic congestion.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's a bit quiet now in mid-July, but if you were to come back in five months you'd find cars banked up for hundreds of metres on some days," Marsh said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You have boats and a lot of jet-skis also navigating the intersection," Dromana Association president Simon Brooks said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/usa-american-airlines-plane-denver-passengers-evacuated-from-plane/14167241-7018-410f-afd5-a0898f6b3ef6"><strong><span>Passengers evacuated from plane onto runway after landing gear issue</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There are also fears local businesses will face the squeeze.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After two knockbacks, a smaller development and promises to make room for traffic pushed the appeal through.</span></div></div>