Papa John’s Pizza takeaway plan for Lawrence Weston refused over child obesity fears

Plans for a Papa John’s Pizza takeaway in a former betting shop in Lawrence Weston have been rejected unanimously by councillors because of concerns about childhood obesity.

The decision to refuse permission for a change of use of the vacant William Hill at Ridingleaze was made despite officers’ advice to approve, and signifies a victory for residents.

More than 30 objections were received, including community group the Lawrence Weston Neighbourhood Planning Forum, on grounds including litter, smells, antisocial behaviour and the vitality of the retail centre.

Planning officers told a council meeting that although public health issues could be considered and there were two schools and a playground nearby, evidence was required that the outlet would have an impact on behaviour.

They said the Lawrence Weston Neighbourhood Development Plan – adopted in 2017 following a referendum – contained a policy opposing new hot food takeaways, but this was based on there being five such businesses in the parade of shops when in fact there were only three.

These did not include Greggs or Smiler’s Cafe which are classed as retail and a cafe respectively under planning law because neither is primarily a hot food takeaway, the officers said.

They said having a fourth would still mean there were less than the 20 per cent limit on takeaways in the 1960s centre as set out in the policy, so there was “no harmful over-concentration”, they said.

Officers warned that the expansion of permitted development rights meant there was growing pressure on retail centres to be turned into homes and that blocking Papa John’s application would not guarantee Ridingleaze would retain its community use.

But Bristol City Council’s development control committee rejected the recommendation to grant consent and voted 7-0 to refuse it on Wednesday, October 13.

Councillor Lesley Alexander said: “I don’t like this application at all. This applicant has been disingenuous with some of the things it has said and some it has left out, but it’s the obesity that I dislike the most, together with the hours of opening, the smells and the litter.”

Councillor Richard Eddy said a new takeaway near three schools in Withywood about five years ago was directly linked to a rise in childhood obesity.

He said: “We are being told we ought to ignore the outcome of the Lawrence Weston Neighbourhood Plan, but in my view that has a higher legitimacy than any local councillor election results, so I would be loath to do so without clear evidence.”

Members refused permission on the grounds of over-concentration of takeaways contrary to the neighbourhood plan, the impact on public health and litter.