Takeaway would be too close to school

CONTROVERSIAL proposals for a shop and hot food takeaway at Great Sankey, Warrington, have been thrown out by a planning inspector – partly because it would have been close to a school.
The inspector, Alison Partington, noted that the proposed takeaway would have been within 400m of a high school and open from 11am, which would be against Warrington Borough Council’s policy.
In view of increasing problems with health and obesity, this added weight to her decision to dismiss the appeal.
Appellant Ansar Amin appealed against the council’s decision to refuse planning consent in February.
He wanted to partially demolish an existing car workshop and change it to a retail shop and takeway.
Ms Partington said a shop was a main town centre use and should only be allowed in an out-of-centre location if no town centre site was available. She had seen no evidence that suitable town centre sites did not exist.
The takeaway would be open from 11am to 11pm daily and, although it was claimed that a large part of the business would be over the phone and internet, the unit would attract customers on foot and in cars, particularly in view of a nearby public house. This would result in noise and disturbance during the evening, with banging of car doors, car radios and general noise from vehicle movements.
Although the proposal would improve the appearance of the property and bring it back into economic use, these points did not outweigh the harm resulting from the proposed development.