Section 4: Impacts of food and financial insecurity
Controlling the wider environment and planning
Gateshead led the way nationally in 2015 with their Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), supported by an integrated public health policy. Many areas are now seeking to develop their own SPD's.
The SPD has been used successfully to control the number of hot food takeaways in areas with high levels of child obesity and areas of deprivation. Since the SPD was adopted in Gateshead, no new planning applications for hot food takeaways have been approved and the number of applications has also dropped, which is a huge success for the area. As we recognise the complexity and societal influences on food choices we are supporting a PHD student, who is researching access to food in Gateshead.