Will Brighton and Hove planners take into account the criticism of “obesogenic environments” by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)?

It has blamed places that favour cars over walking and the number of urban places selling food for encouraging people to eat more and eat more unhealthily.

The high street is a key offender because of the sheer number of places that sell calorific foods, including takeaways, food shops and amenities such as cinemas and leisure facilities that also sell food.

This city has achieved remarkable things with its green policies – reducing speed limits and emissions, and installing innovative cycle lanes, for example. But next on its agenda should be a rethink on the rules about the number of places that sell rubbishy foods it allows. When it comes to approving yet another takeaway, the proximity of places that aren’t technically food outlets, such as cinemas, should also be taken into account.

A report in the Lancet last week showing that almost a third of British girls, 57% of older British women, two thirds of men and a quarter of boys under 20 are fat, so the availability of bad food should come under scrutiny as a priority. The rules need to be changed to protect children from a lifetime of obesity and poor health.