McDonald's looking to move into old Scotiabank building in Westboro

Scotiabank said Friday it will be closing its Westboro branch. (Peter Szperling/CTV News Ottawa)

A McDonald's restaurant could soon be opening in Ottawa's Westboro neighbourhood.

The plans for the new restaurant in the old Scotiabank on Richmond Road are contained in a report for the Committee of Adjustment, which requests permission to open a restaurant with no parking spaces.

The report says the applicant wants to renovate the existing building to open a new McDonald's restaurant. The applicant is asking for permission to permit zero parking spaces for a restaurant, noting the current Zoning Bylaw requires 18 parking spaces for a restaurant.

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A letter from MRA Architecture and Design, on behalf of McDonald's, says two parking spaces will be provided on a neighbouring lot under an agreement with the lot owner.

"The proposed minor variance is consistent with the intent of the Official Plan as the reduced minimum number of parking spaces encourages the use of transit, cycling and walking," the letter states, adding the majority of the clientele is located within a 10-minute walk of the restaurant.

"The site is also situated between two future rapid transit stations, 450-metre walking distance to the Kìchì Sìbì LRT station and 850-meter walking distance to the Westboro LRT station."

A look at the proposed McDonald's on Richmond Road in Westboro. (MRA Architecture and Design/report)

The Committee of Adjustment will discuss the proposal on Sept. 4.

The Scotiabank branch at 388 Richmond Road closed earlier this year after being open for more than 100 years in Westboro. Scotiabank told CTV News Ottawa it made the "difficult decision to consolidate" the branch on Richmond Road with the branch at the Hampton Park Plaza.