Agenda item

This item will be presented by Claire Lowman.

Officers introduced this report and made the following points:

(1)        Following concerns expressed by local residents arising out of a recent Application for a Hot Food Takeaway in Fishponds Road, the profile of the impact of this issue had increased;

(2)        It was noted that the level of obesity was increasing – one third of children were estimated as overweight or obese and 57% of adults;

(3)        The report outlined the results from national studies which showed that there was a high prevalence of takeaways in Bristol and of a link between obesity and deprivation;

(4)        Officers believed that the current DM10 policy on cumulative impact would benefit from carrying out a Health Impact Assessment of Bristol specifically relating to the Stapleton Road area;

(5)        Officers also believed that a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) would be helpful. An HIA would consider whether the current policy on proximity of hot food takeaways (class A5) to schools and youth facilities should be changed to increase the radius under the Development Management Policy 10 (DM10))  for trigger of objections for Planning Applications from 400 metres to 800 metres.

In responding to Councillors’ questions concerning the basis for the proposed increase to 800 metres, officers confirmed that this was based on a child taking 5 minutes on average to walk 400 metres (and therefore 10 minutes to walk 800 metres). Research had indicated that for a pupil on a 30/40 Minute lunch break, it would be difficult to walk there and back to a takeaway outlet in time.

However, there remained issues with the after school period (the School’s after school policy was important in this area) and at supermarkets.

It was noted that any policy further than 800 metres was unlikely to be necessary. A policy of 800 metres had been adopted in a number of Local Authorities such as Brighton, Newcastle, North East Lincolnshire and Rotherham.

Councillors made the following comments:

(1)        The success of the policy was linked to the way it addressed the issue of where pupils were commuting from in the morning and from this point of view, 800 metres had proved effective;

(2)        These proposed changes should be supported. Reassurances were nevertheless required for businesses in areas such as Stapleton Road which were just about managing to survive to ensure this did not adversely affect them;

(3)        Further issues that needed to be considered were:

(a)        if a business closed and re-opened, what would the situation be then?

(b)        is McDonalds identified as a takeaway or restaurant for the purposes of this policy?

Note:

(a) Planning permission is required to change the existing use of a premises to a hot food takeaway or if you intend to build new premises to be used as a hot food takeaway. Where a property currently has permission for use as a hot food takeaway, planning permission will not be required. However, any conditions attached to the original planning permission would remain in force.

(b) Since the meeting, officers have confirmed that Planning Permission is required to change the existing use of a premises to a hot food takeaway or if you intend to build new premises to be used as a hot food takeaway. Where a property currently has permission for use as a hot food takeaway, planning permission will not be required. However, any conditions attached to the original planning permission would remain in force.

(4)        The policy should demonstrate a cumulative impact and should be applicable throughout the city. Hopefully, it would not require a large body of proof in a particular location to enable this policy change to take place;

(5)        The link to deprivation should not be exclusively used in adopting this policy since it should apply to all children;

(6) This policy should be supported as a means of linking Planning and Licensing issues.

Resolved – that the Scrutiny Commission’s view is that

(1)        the current policy on proximity of hot food takeaways (Class A5) to schools and youth facilities which is currently controlled by the Development Management Policy (DM10) of over 400 metres, would benefit from a health impact assessment on increasing the radius to 800 metres;

(2)        the current DM10 policy on cumulative impact would benefit from a health impact assessment specifically relating to the Stapleton Road area within Lawrence Hill ward;

(3)        that, in view of the Planning issues raised in this report, the matter is referred to the Place Scrutiny Commission for consideration.

Action: (1) and (2) Claire Lowman, (3) Jeremy Livitt – refer to Place Scrutiny Commission