Sefton Council to crackdown on takeaways opening near schools
Plus: Martial arts centre to open in former car showroom
Hello and welcome to the midweek edition of The Southport Lead.
Today we look at plans being considered by Sefton Council to ban fast food takeaways from opening near schools. It is something which lines up with new national guidelines and, perhaps more pertinently, fits in with the authority’s efforts to tackle obesity issues across the borough.
We also take a look at plans to transform a former car showroom into new uses and what that change tells us about the way Southport is changing. Its previous business had been in operation for 100 years but now something completely different is needed - and it reflects changes in society.
Takeaway ban planned near schools as Sefton continues public health drive
By Jamie Lopez
Sefton Council is planning to introduce a ban on fast food takeaways opening close to schools.
The move will bring the borough in line with new national guidance and is the latest move from the council to combat poor health in the borough. Obesity rates among Sefton’s children are well above the national average, with those in the most deprived areas the worst affected.
Changes to existing planning rules will go before a public consultation before being formally introduced, with the council seeking opinions on issues such as how to define ‘fast food takeaways’ and outline any potential exceptions.
National guidance brought in last year states that local authorities should refuse applications for hot food takeaways and fast food outlets within walking distance of schools and other places where children or young people congregate as well as in locations where clusters of such businesses are “having an adverse impact on local health, pollution or anti-social-behaviour”.
Introducing those changes, Andrew Gwynne, minister for public health and prevention, said: “Every child deserves a healthy, happy start to life. Giving local authorities the powers to block applications for unhealthy takeaways near schools puts children’s health first and stops fast-food giants targeting pupils.
“This is just one action we are taking to give children the best start in life and protect their health.”
The effective ban would be made possible through the introduction of a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) which is due to be drafted in July, with a consultation beginning in September and the policy potentially introduced in December. Existing businesses would not be affected, but rules would be tightened to prevent planning permission being given to new ones.
According to research published in the Journal of Social Science and Medicine, the introduction of stricter rules surrounding the opening of fast food takeaways contributed to a 4.8% decrease over four years in the percentage of overweight and obese Year 6 children compared to other similar areas across the region.
Such bans can have unintended consequences though, as seen in Leyland earlier this year when a burger van was denied planning permission to operate in a pub car park in part due to its proximity to multiple schools. That case is currently being appealed.
Last year, Sefton Council voted to ban advertising junk food products high in fat, salt and sugar on sites it owns as part of efforts to improve public health. In April, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) reported that advertising firms and lobby groups were targeting councils and pressuring them into dropping such policies but Sefton has remained defiant.
Margaret Jones, director of public health in the borough, said: “By adopting a Healthy Advertising Policy in Sefton, we want people across Sefton to have a wider choice by shifting the spotlight to healthier options.
“Our main aim is to protect the most vulnerable and improve community resilience by encouraging advertising that broadens healthier food and drink choices.
“Aggressive and powerful marketing of unhealthy food does not encourage this broadening of choice. Instead, it aggressively limits choice by suggesting the products being sold are the only option, meaning people’s ability to choose has been taken away from them.”
She added: “We know that visible endorsement is powerful and that the unhealthy advertising with which children and families are regularly bombarded adversely affects their food choices.
“So, by shifting the balance to promoting healthier food with less emphasis on products high in saturated fat, salt and sugar, we want to encourage a healthier balance.
“And as well as reduce inequalities across the borough, it results in reduced waste and cleaner neighbourhoods, which has a positive knock-on effect on climate change.”
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Showroom conversion plan highlights changing needs of Southport
When a century-old business closes its doors, it can be hard to find a ready-made replacement.
That has been the case since Oldfield Automobiles left its Queens Road dealership but new plans could finally bring a new use to the building. The business ceased trading in 2022 when the family opted for hard earned retirement after serving Southport for generations.
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