Burger fight beefed up

70 George Street: to be another takeaway.

COUNCIL bosses have vowed to resist more takeaways blighting Oldham town centre.

The move comes after the Planning Inspectorate overturned local refusal for a takeaway in George Street.

Risebrook Properties want to sell food from what was previously a bridal shop, vacant since November.

Inspector David Kaiserman said there had been no interest shown by retail tenants in six months — except by potential tenants for takeaways.

He said he had been given little reason for concluding the change would harm the town centre.

The council was disappointed with the outcome, following a series of successful appeals against the setting up of new takeaways.

The council wants to create attractive town centres with a range of shops, rather than a series of food shops, closed during the day with their shutters down.

Councillor Dave Hibbert said: “The council has stopped a number of new takeaways coming into Oldham, but the Planning Inspectorate, which is the national body responsible for determining final outcomes of planning appeals, felt the original refusal decision in this case should be overturned.

“We will continue to resist the proliferation of hot food takeaways wherever possible.”