South Tyneside Council has responded to concerns that the number of hot food takeaways in the area increased by 18% since 2014. Led by the Health and Wellbeing Board, whose strategic aim is to tackle unhealthy lifestyles and obesity, the council adopted a new planning guidance aimed at restricting the number of these fast food outlets. The new planning guidance seeks to refuse planning permission for takeaways in wards where the levels of obesity for Year 6 pupils is more than 10%, or for premises within 400m of a secondary school. Earlier this year, South Tyneside Council rejected plans for a town centre takeaway, citing childhood obesity levels in the area as one of the grounds for refusal.