Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether the proposed location of fast food establishments near to schools constitutes reasonable grounds for refusing planning permission.

The Government has made clear in the National Planning Policy Framework that planning policies and decisions should enable and support healthy lifestyles. As part of this the Planning Practice Guidance sets out that local authorities through their development plan can include policies which seek to limit certain uses, that require planning permission, in proximity to locations where children and young people congregate such as schools.

Any planning applications will be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.