The local Maitland Street franchise recently sought approval to modify its trading hours, however the request was knocked back by Muswellbrook Shire Council.

The proposal also received a total of 13 submissions, which rebuffed the development application.

Council then granted approval to allow drive-thru trading to start at 5am (an additional hour) on a daily basis for a trial period of one year.

"It's disappointing," a McDonald's spokesperson said.

"I believe the process has been going for more than a decade - and rejected two or three times."

McDonald's submitted noise impact and traffic assessments, as well as a plan of management, which detailed a number of measures to be employed at the site to manage the potential for anti-social behaviour during extended trading hours.

It included 24-hour CCTV surveillance with 60-day viewing retention; car parking closures to limit access to the drive-thru area only; incident reporting; registration of complaints; the adoption of noise management procedures; and the carrying out of regular litter patrols (four a day - after sunset, after breakfast - 11am, after lunch - 3pm, and before sunset) within a specified area of the premises immediate locality.

But, in view of all the available information and likely noise-related impacts on adjacent residential zoned land, council officers did not support the 24/7 modification.

They also felt the car parking closures - in the traffic assessment and plan of management - to limit access to the drive-thru area to manage noise impacts were not practical for south-bound vehicles, with drivers likely to veer into Thompson Street.

This, in turn, would create further noise and traffic safety issues.

McDonald's drive-thru will now operate from 5am until 10pm Sunday to Thursday and 5am until 11pm on Friday and Saturday.