Hello, the London Plan has a policy E9 which seeks to not permit new takeaways within 400 metres of an existing or proposed primary or secondary school. It also encourages them, where permitted, to comply with the Healthier Catering Commitment standards.
In Brent we have a policy that has operated for 7 years doing roughly the same, but which was updated in 2022 to also include further education institutions within 400 metres (Policy BE5). We also do not permit new takeaways within our primary shopping frontages (Policy BE4). This also limits takeaways to 6% of town centre frontages or 15% of neighbourhood parades and a gap of at least two other premises between takeaways.
We had a local evidence base (getting a bit old now) undertaken by health colleagues that amongst other things interviewed school children which showed the higher propensity to consume takeaways when they were more readily accessible to school premises. We also have a very significant obesity issue with children, much higher than the national average. Camden who didn’t have a similar evidence base were not successful in getting a similar policy in place through their examination in 2016/17. The views of Inspectors nationally considering appeals seems to vary, with some seeming to support such policies whilst others consider that the offer at other adjacent shops, e.g. availability of confectionary in newsagents means takeaways are no worse, or limiting operating hours to outside school times as an alternative.
I’m sure our health colleagues would like to go further than our current policies.
Tom Campbell at Hillingdon who is chair of the London Policy officers might be able to circulate your request to that wider group for you.
