'Businesses at risk' - Row erupts over plans for new takeaways in York

Opposition Liberal Democrat planning spokesperson Coun Andrew Hollyer said a climb down from recommending blocking new takeaways within 800m of schools outside York city centre was welcome news for businesses.

But York Council’s Labour planning spokesperson Coun Dave Merrett said the health of local children was his administration’s chief concern, adding it seemed to be irrelevant for the opposition.

The scaling back of proposed guidance for takeaway applications comes as council officials are working on York’s new Local Plan, which sets out development in the coming years.

The documents offer guidance which would be referred to and carry weight when deciding on applications but they do not legally set planning policies.

Guidance originally proposed for takeaway applications in York would have seen them typically refused if they were within 800m of schools, nurseries, play areas, libraries and parks.

The restrictions would apply outside of York city centre and the district centres of Acomb and Haxby.

They followed changes to national planning policies which called for new takeaways and fast food restaurants to be blocked if they were near schools or places where children congregate.

Changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) said applications should also be refused if a concentration of outlets could harm public health and the environment or fuel antisocial behaviour.

But a report which went before York councillors on October 13 stated the 800m limit in York would now have to be reduced to 400m to comply with the latest national policies.

Opposition Liberal Democrat planning spokesperson Coun Hollyer said it came after they had warned the 800m proposals would have gone too far.

The opposition councillor said: “We warned this put local entrepreneurs and family-run businesses at risk.

“Now the council has admitted Labour councillors were wrong and guidance needs to change to comply with the new national planning framework, this is a vindication of the concerns we raised.

“Labour needs to get on with revising its guidance, scrap the excessive 800m approach and give York’s small businesses the certainty they need to invest, grow and create jobs.”

Labour Planning Executive Member Coun Merrett said their proposals were motivated by a public health approach to tackling obesity, particularly among children.

The executive member said: “The public’s health may not feature in York Liberal Democrats’ list of priorities, but the country actually has a childhood obesity problem which worsens over the primary school years from one in four to one in three.

“The evidence suggests higher economic value is generated when premises are occupied by a broader mix of uses than just takeaways.

“The health of our children and young people is our primary concern in this particular policy, which sadly seems to be irrelevant to our Lib Dem opposition.”