Council warned of fast food ‘over-concentration’
2 days ago
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Public health officers have raised concerns about the number of unhealthy takeaways in Bradford – particularly in the poorest areas of the district
They said the proliferation of fast-food businesses in some areas of Bradford was linked to higher rates of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease
A letter to Bradford Council planners in response to an application for an outlet in Whetley Hill said there was already an “over-concentration of fast-food takeaways” in the area. The application was rejected
“If Bradford were the same as the England average there would be 649 outlets in the district, 110 less,” they said
They argued that allowing new takeaways in the most deprived areas would “undermine public health outcomes”
Health research organisation Born in Bradford previously said the city was “flooded” with businesses offering unhealthy food, meaning children were eating “too much sugar and fat and not enough fibre, vitamin D, or fruits and vegetables”
One of the reasons for the Whetley Hill refusal was that the business would be just 40m from Atlas Primary School, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service
In 2014, Bradford Council banned any new hot food takeaway from opening within 400m of a school, park, leisure centre or other facility used by children
The policy does not apply to “local centres” – which include Bradford city centre and town and village centres
‘Compares poorly’ with national average
The letter from public health officers said: “There is already an over-concentration of fast food take aways within the Bradford District
“Latest data from 2024 shows there are 759 outlets within the district at a rate of 135.5 per 100,000 population
“This compares poorly with the UK average rate of 115.92.”
They noted the links between fast-food consumption and diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and cancer and the pressure that preventable diseases put on the NHS
“National planning policy is clear that planning decisions should support healthy lives by promoting good health and preventing ill‑health,” they wrote
“This includes ensuring access to healthier food options, particularly in areas already affected by significant health inequalities
“Allowing an additional hot‑food takeaway in this location would run counter to these objectives and further undermine public health outcomes in a community already experiencing some of the worst health indicators in the district.”
The application fell within the Manningham area, the most deprived ward in the district, which experts said had a below-average life expectancy and above-average obesity rate
Born in Bradford research into healthy eating said the environments children grew up in played a “substantial role” in either supporting a healthy diet or preventing access to healthy food
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Council’s healthier takeaway scheme ‘challenging’
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Local Democracy Reporting Service
Fast food
Bradford
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