City council cracks down on hot food takeaways

New planning guidance could be introduced to limit the number of hot food takeaways in Wolverhampton.

The proportion of hot food takeaways in and around the city is significantly higher than the national average, and now the city council is taking action to manage the number of new takeaways opening in both the city centre and district centres.

The measures will also restrict new takeaways from opening within walking distance of secondary schools as the local authority looks to tackle child obesity levels in the city.

The council said research had shown there is more than one hot food takeaway per 1,000 people in Wolverhampton; nationally the average is just 0.86.

The new measures, which will also restrict new hot food takeaways from opening in shopping centres or parades where there are already a high percentage of such retailers, are intended to supplement existing guidance on takeaways which is already being applied in various places including the city centre, Bilston and the Three Tuns Shopping Centre.

The guidance states that, where centres have 40 units or more, no more than 10% should be hot food takeaways, and that where there are less than 40 units, hot food takeaways must make up no more than 15% of them. Where these limits are reached, new takeaways will not be granted planning permission.

In addition, the guidance will restrict new hot food takeaways from opening within 400 metres of secondary schools, with the exception of schools which are close to or within the boundaries of the city or district centres.

It will also put an end to the clustering of takeaways by ensuring that no more than two takeaways are permitted to open next to each other.

The proposed guidance will only affect new Class A5 hot food takeaways, such as drive throughs, Chinese and Indian takeaways and pizza, fried chicken, burger and fish and chip shops. It will not affect existing hot food takeaways; nor will it apply to non-Class A5 food and drink retailers such as sandwich shops and bakeries, restaurants, cafes, coffee shops and dessert shops.

Cllr John Reynolds, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: “We recognise that fast food outlets are an important component of the local economy, and where balanced with other types of retail they provide a service to the public, creating jobs and generating rental income.

“However, where they make up a disproportionately high percentage of the retail offer they can have a negative impact by reducing the vitality and viability of shopping centres, discouraging shoppers and future retail opportunities. National guidelines make it clear that retail should be the dominant feature of shopping centres, not fast food outlets, and in many parts of our city that is not the case.”

If the draft planning guidance is approved, it will be subject to a six-week period of consultation between October 30 and December 12, 2017, with businesses, residents and other stakeholders invited to have their say.