Takeaways banned from opening near schools in Coventry

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The new guidelines are in an attempt to get children in the city eating healthier

Takeaways have been banned from opening within a five-minute walk of all schools in Coventry - in an attempt to curb unhealthy eating among children.

Coventry City Council’s cabinet has also passed measures that will prevent new takeaways from opening in areas which are already deemed to have too many.

The five minute walk rule is measured from the gate(s) of any primary or secondary school, including any special school, sixth form college and academy.

The new guidelines will be taken into account by the council’s planning team when deciding whether to approve plans for new hot food outlets.

Proposals have already been through two consultations and council scrutiny boards.

At cabinet on Tuesday, August 27, Cllr Jim O’Boyle said getting tough on takeaways was long-overdue, citing known issues in his ward of St Michaels.

He said: “It was no coincidence that when Sidney Stringer School Academy was rebuilt all these takeaways opened directly opposite.

“That pressure it faced from that period of time from offers outside of £1 chicken and chips is just terrible really.

“Anything we can do to actually make sure we have got protection – as this is about public health – and anything we can do to support lifestyle choices that are healthy have to be welcomed.”

Other councils across the country have also taken out the measure, councillors were told.

In areas that have become over concentrated by hot food takeaways, further hot food takeaway applications will not be permitted.

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However, the requirements will not apply to hot food takeaway proposals that fall within a defined centre where lots of takeaways already exist.

So meaningless in other words?

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Council branded hypocritical for takeaway approval near school



Coventry council has been branded “hypocritical” for approving a takeaway near a primary school, just one day before a new ban prohibiting it was approved.

The council’s planning team approved plans to convert a shop on the corner of Grayswood Avenue in Allesley into a takeaway on Monday, August 26.

The site location is within a five-minute radius of St Christopher Primary School.

Within a day, the authority introduced a ban on takeaways being granted approval if they are close to schools.

It is hoped that move could help to curb unhealthy eating among children.

Graham Mellor, 79, who lives opposite the new takeaway, said: “It is just hypocritical of the council.

“They knew very well they were going to have this ban approved on the 27th.

“How can they give this permission for this on the 26th the day before?

“This has been going on for years. There are about nine takeaways here already within a five-minute radius of the school.”

While the applicant themselves made reference of the council’s upcoming ban on new takeaways in its planning statement as part of the application, no reference to it was mentioned in an officer report granting approval.

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How can they give this permission for this on the 26th the day before?

Because the ban wasn't in force! There has to be a cut-off date, much as it might grate.