MCDONALDS is buying up public land in Somerset in order to expand one of its popular drive-thrus.

The international fast food giant runs one of its Somerset restaurants from Vulcan Road in Minehead, near the terminus of the West Somerset Railway.

The company is seeking to purchase a small plot of land on Seaward Way from Somerset West and Taunton Council in order to extend its drive-thru, in order to create a better experience for customers.

The council has not confirmed how much it would be paid for the land, or when the work on the site could commence.

Details of the land sale were published ahead of a meeting of the council’s Minehead area panel on September 11.

A spokesman said: “Heads of terms have been agreed on the sale of land for McDonalds.

“Clarke Wilmott [has been] instructed, [and] draft documentation being sent out.”

The council was unable to divulge how much McDonalds would pay for the site or how large the site in question was, citing commercial sensitivity.

A spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that McDonalds want to buy a small piece of land to widen the drive-thru slightly.”

McDonalds was approached by the Local Democracy Reporting Service for details of any planned closure, but the company did not respond to a request for comment.