Kirklees Council’s Cabinet approves new guidance around opening hot food takeaways across the district

It will provide support to applicants who are hoping to open a new business premises of this type in the borough, by guiding them through all the relevant issues that might affect their application.

The proposed changes will affect the locations where planning permission can be granted for hot food takeaways.

The new rules will generally apply to proposals for brand new hot food takeaways as opposed to existing ones. However, there are instances where they will impact takeaways already trading in hot food.

Coun Graham Turner, cabinet member for growth and regeneration, said: “We want to develop policies which will work for Kirklees as a whole, helping revitalise our high streets.

“The distribution of businesses has huge power to affect an area’s overall offering, and the wellbeing of those who live and work there.

“With this new guidance, our aim is to help the local takeaway industry thrive, without perpetuating some of the negative impacts we’re currently seeing on local communities.

“We’ll be providing the best possible guidance for anyone looking to make a planning application, being clear about our policies but also clearly laying out the pathways to success.”

The guidance is in line with the overall Council Plan, the Kirklees Health and Wellbeing Plan, and the Healthy Weight Declaration.

One of the main aims of these changes is to improve the overall health and wellbeing of Kirklees residents.

The supplementary planning document includes new guidance around selling takeaway hot food near schools, which is particularly important in Kirklees, as around one in four reception-age children are clinically overweight.

As well as health impacts, the new guidance recognises the large role of hot food takeaways in town centres and other key areas across Kirklees, and the need for these areas to offer variety for residents, visitors and businesses.

By limiting the number of businesses of this type in one area, Kirklees Council can further promote vibrant, varied town centres with a wide range of businesses and offerings.

The council also aims to limit the impact of hot food takeaways on people living and working in the district by providing guidance on issues relating to highway safety, noise and odours, waste disposal and community safety.

Coun Musarrat Khan, cabinet member for health and social care, added: “The health and wellbeing of residents is, as always, the council’s top priority.

“By encouraging businesses to offer more healthy menus and normalising healthier eating, we can increase life expectancy and reduce the risk of serious illness.

“Where we can do more to encourage healthy living, we have that responsibility.

“This is particularly crucial when thinking about our children in Kirklees. Over the last few decades, so much has been done to make sure children eat healthily while they’re in school – we should be thinking more widely and extending this to the environment beyond our local schools.

“We have a responsibility to tackle growing childhood obesity rates in every way we can.”

Now that the Hot Food Takeaway supplementary planning document has been approved, this guidance will be adopted going forward and will apply to all future planning applications around hot food takeaways in Kirklees.