Hartlepool falls steeply in national table for amount of unhealthy takeaways

Official figures for the number of takeaways per population in England have been produced by the Office for Health Improvement & Disparities.

They show that Hartlepool has fallen steeply from having the fourth highest proportion out of 128 upper-tier local authority areas in 2017 to 37th place in 2024.

The rate is now an estimated 138 fast food outlets per 100,000 population, compared to 162.5 previously.

It comes as council chiefs have sought to block planning applications for new takeaways in recent years on health grounds, together with other work by the local authority to tackle obesity levels.

Councillor Brenda Harrison, leader of Hartlepool Borough Council and chair of the Hartlepool Health and Wellbeing Board, said: "These figures are certainly very encouraging and they reflect our proactive approach to tackling obesity in Hartlepool.

"A key element of our strategy to improve the health of residents involves using planning policy to impose controls on the proliferation of fast food takeaways across the borough.

"This is a positive policy which directly benefits local people and the Council's approach has been successfully defended at appeal on a number of occasions."

Last year, the council’s planning committee refused permission to turn a former beauty salon in Elwick Road into a new fish and chip shop.

It was ruled the proposal would “undermine efforts to promote healthy lifestyles” and the decision was later upheld after an appeal by the takeaway applicants.

A similar bid for a hot food takeaway at a former babers’ in Raby Road selling pizzas, kebabs, burgers, and soft drinks, was also rejected last July on health grounds.

Councillor Harrison added the council is also carrying out a number of other actions to help improve the town’s health.

She said: "In addition, we are implementing a number of other initiatives, including developing the local Food Partnership to encourage people to eat more healthily and working with the authority's Active Hartlepool service to promote the benefits of regular exercise and other physical activity such as walking and cycling.

"Whilst the latest figures show that good progress is being made, we are not complacent and we will continue to explore new and innovative approaches so that people can live healthy, fulfilling lives."