Parents slam proposed takeaway in ‘no-fry zone’

A GROUP of concerned parents have hit out at a local authority after planning permission was given to a takeaway within a ‘no-fry zone’.

Pressure group NoFryZone4Kids campaigned for 18 months to include a no-fry zone in the local county development plan in Greystones, Co. Wicklow – after planning permission was granted for the construction of a McDonald’s near a school. The inclusion of the new rule in the development plan bans the construction of a takeaway within 400 metres of schools in the area.

However, despite the regulations, Wicklow County Council has granted planning permission for a Chinese takeaway just 125 metres from a school.

Chairman of the group Philip Moyles told the Irish Daily Mail that members were disappointed and surprised by the move.

‘From our perspective, it’s incredibly disappointing that the planning permission was granted because we worked very hard to get a no-fry zone into the county development plan,’ he said.

‘When an application is made for anything you have a right to make an objection on it. In this situation no one in the locality made an objection because we assumed that the objective RT17 would be completely adhered to,’ he explained.

The group are now appealing to An Bord Pleanála in an attempt to prevent the planning permission from going ahead.

A Wicklow County Council spokesman said: ‘No valid submissions were received in this case. In this regard, a time restriction will be in place limiting the hours of the takeaway service until after 5pm daily – ie outside of school hours.’