The town already has a lot of takeaways which make up over 70% of the town’s food establishments
The health board has opposed plans for another takeaway in Ebbw Vale town(Image: Rob Browne)
A Welsh health board and a healthy food partnership have stepped in to try and block yet another takeaway in a town with the unwanted unofficial label of the UK’s “fattest town”. Plans have been submitted by Greg Williams to convert a former high street beauty salon into a takeaway in Ebbw Vale.
Councillors on Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s planning committee will consider a report on Thursday, September 4, regarding an application submitted by Mr Williams to turn the former salon at 49 Bethcar Street into a fast food takeaway shop. He submitted the plans in March to turn the premises from a commercial business into a takeaway and drinking establishment.
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, which serves the entire Gwent region, has raised objections to the proposal. It comes after the health board was unsuccessful in attempting to block plans for a Greggs in nearby Pontypool.
Plans to turn this ex-salon on a high street in Ebbw Vale into a takeaway have been opposed by health bodies because of a genuine concern there are far too many fast food establishments in the town(Image: Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council)
Planning documents read: “The health board have objected on the grounds that increased access to unhealthy food retail outlets can be associated with increased weight in the general population and increased living with overweight/obesity and unhealthy eating behaviours among children living in low-income areas.” For the biggest stories in Wales first, sign up to our daily newsletter
Statistics from 2018 showed Blaenau Gwent had 125 fast food establishments per 100,000 residents, ranking third highest among Welsh local authorities, and in Ebbw Vale the issue is most pronounced.
The town is widely reported to be the UK’s “fattest town” because of the number of people who have health problems like obesity, as well as the fact the town has an exceptionally high number of takeaways with 73% of the restaurants in Ebbw Vale being fast food establishments. In recent years Ebbw Vale has also not faired well in the league tables in Wales for life expectancy.
For Blaenau Gwent as a whole the figure rose to 142 fast food outlets per 100,000 people by 2023, marking a 13.5 per cent rise.
The planning report stated: “They [the health board] advise that the location of this site is not appropriate due to the proliferation/concentration of existing hot food takeaways/restaurants selling food and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar.”
The town has regularly hit the headlines in recent months for this reason including when Will Tennyson, a Youtuber, went viral for travelling to Ebbw Vale from Toronto earlier this year, when he claimed his hotel receptionist greeted him first by telling him Ebbw Vale “is the fattest town in Britain”.
Blaenau Gwent planners argue that no planning policies exist locally or nationally which would “restrict the provision of fast food takeaways”.
Ebbw Vale has an exceptionally high number of takeaways with 73% of the restaurants in Ebbw Vale being fast food establishments(Image: John Myers)
Blaenau Gwent Food Partnership also raised objections to the proposals and argued that maintaining the building as a retail unit remained “vital” for a flourishing high street. The partnership believes that another takeaway would add to an “already excessive number of takeaways and would exacerbate the current public health crisis”.
Blaenau Gwent planners responded: “Whilst their concerns are noted, the previous uses as a beauty salon and retail store have been marketed with very little interest. The proposed use is considered acceptable in this instance and results in the occupation of an otherwise vacant unit.”
The Blaenau Gwent annual monitoring report (AMR) which tracks the percentage of A1 uses in the primary retail areas has confirmed that there is only one other takeaway in this particular section of Ebbw Vale.
The report stated: “It is considered that the use has the potential to increase footfall into the area and have a more beneficial impact on the vitality and viability of the town centre. On balance, the departure is deemed acceptable in this case.” As a result, planning officers are set to recommend that councillors give the scheme the green light.