Fast food stalled

OLDHAM has won another victory in its battle to stop pizza, burger, kebab and curry shops blighting its town centres.

A government planning inspector has backed Oldham Council’s decision to block a hot food takeaway in Lees High Street — next to an existing one.

She threw out an appeal against the decision not to allow the conversion from a former mobile phone shop.

It is the first appeal in Lees since the council introduced a new policy last July to stop the rise of takeaways. The council has already won other appeals elsewhere in the borough.

Councillor John Battye, chairman of planning, said that it would make it easier to block future applications in Lees.

“It is a good decision and it has set a precedent. We have set the policy and now the inspector has confirmed we are being reasonable,” he explained.

“We have said there should be a limit on the number of hot-food takeaways in the town centre and district centres otherwise you get nothing during the day and just a night-time economy.”