McDonald’s plan to open its first restaurant in Vatican City has prompted criticism from cardinals living above the proposed site.

The fast food giant is reportedly willing to pay “a few tens of thousands of euros per month” to rent a property within sight of St Peter’s Square, according to the Guardian.

Cardinals claim that they were not consulted by APSA, the Vatican agency that owns the property, about the plans. Instead, residents were only informed after APSA had agreed to rent the ground floor of the property to McDonald's.

Cardinal Elio Sgreccia told LaRepubblica: “It’s a controversial, perverse decision to say the least. It is by no means respectful of the architectural traditions of one of the most characteristic squares which look onto the colonnade of St Peter’s.”

Speaking on behalf of the seven cardinals who live in the property, Cardinal Sgreccia added: “The space should be used instead to house entities which help the needy, in line with the Pope’s call for a ‘poor church for the poor’.”

Pope Francis is among one of the former residents of the apartments above the site; he lived there before he began his papacy.