Planning Inspectorate dismisses appeal over Cross Church Street takeaway

THE Planning Inspectorate has ruled a new takeaway in Huddersfield town centre would worsen crime and anti-social behaviour.

Inspector Zoe Hill, from the inspectorate, has rejected an attempt by Rashid Ullah to fight Kirklees Council’s decision to block him from opening a new fast food outlet on Cross Church Street.

Mr Ullah, who already runs Chicken Hut on the same street, applied last year for planning permission to turn the old Age Concern shop into a hot food takeaway.

But Kirklees Council’s planning sub-committee turned him down.

Committee members heard the police had concerns that the street had already reached “saturation point” and takeaways attracted trouble in the early hours.

Mr Ullah, who had said he would shut at 1am at weekends to combat problems with anti-social behaviour, appealed against the decision with the Planning Inspectorate.

But Ms Hill dismissed the case.

In her judgement, she said: “The proposed development would be likely to exacerbate crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour.”

She added a takeaway would have had a damaging effect on the listed building and its surroundings.

“An active use would be likely to be beneficial to the local economy and could help the maintenance of this listed building,” she said.

“However, hot food uses can lead to dead frontages during the day-time and can result in unattractive places for people to use.

“In this respect I note the council has a street cleansing problem in this locality as a result of grease, litter and so forth arising from the number of hot food uses in the area.

“Furthermore this street does not currently have a problem with high vacancy rates, thereby reducing the weight I might attach to providing an active use.”

Sgt John McFadzean, who leads the town centre policing team, welcomed the decision.

He said: “There are more than enough takeaways on Cross Church Street.

“When there’s one takeaway in isolation, it’s no problem, but when there are eight or nine it pulls people in and makes it a flashpoint for trouble.

“We now have a top 10 locations that police get called to. They all used to be pubs and clubs, now three of the 10 are takeaways.”

But David Storrie, of town planning consultancy firm David Storrie Associates, said the decision was disappointing.

Mr Storrie, who represented Mr Ullah, said: “The sad thing is that a legitimate business is being penalised by the actions of others and a vacant shop unit remains empty in the town centre.

“We consider that the inspector has given undue weight to the issue of anti-social behaviour in the area and not taken on board our case regarding reduced opening hours or of bringing a property back into productive use.”