Planning – Application Comments

Comment Date: Tue 31 Jan 2023

ED has no objection to this proposal.

Comment Date: Tue 31 Jan 2023

Thank you for contacting Plymouth's Public Health Team regarding this application.

Sui Generis, formerly known as A5, (Hot Food Takeaway) use class in this location is not acceptable on public health grounds. Hot Food Takeaways are known to offer food that is traditionally high in fats, salt, sugar and carbohydrates and as such these types of foods do not promote healthy eating. As such they are they conducive to creating a healthy food environment.

Policy DEV6 in the Joint Local Plan focusses on hot food takeaways in Plymouth. It states, 'The LPAs within the Plymouth Policy Area will resist proposals to provide new hot food takeaways within a 400 metre radius of providers of secondary education to protect the school's food environment.'

This supports the Council's intention to (1) protect the food environment around schools and (2) encourage healthy lifestyles through health eating amongst the Plymouth population.

25.0% of Reception and 42.9% Year Six pupils living in the Drake were classified as overweight or obese according to results from the combined 2019/20 -2021/22 National Child Measurement Programme compared to 25.8% and 33.4% respectively across the city as a whole. The Year Six figure is the highest value out of the city's 20 wards.

This application is within a 400m radius of a secondary education provider and therefore fails this policy (DEV6). Although there is a lack of data in relation to secondary school age pupils specifically, obesity is an issue in Reception and Year Six pupils and this policy (DEV6) seeks to prevent the situation worsening. We therefore recommend refusal under this policy.

References

https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/national-child-measurement-programme

Comment Date: Wed 25 Jan 2023

I can confirm that the LHA would have no objections to this proposal were it to come forward as an application.