A fifth betting shop will open on a city centre street after a Government inspector dismissed public health concerns that this would be too many.
Last year Bradford Council refused planning permission to convert a former bar on Broadway into a new branch of Jenningsbet.
That stretch of Broadway has six units, a Subway, four gambling businesses and this empty unit.
The unit is at the centre of the pedestrianisation of Broadway, completed earlier this year, and is directly opposite Britannia House, where the city centre library is due to move next year.
Council public health officers said the increasing number of betting shops could harm people at risk of gambling addictions, and planning officers also feared another betting shop would further erode the viability of what should be a prime shopping street, effectively making it a gambling quarter of the city centre.
Shortly after the refusal, Jenningsbet appealed the decision, leaving the final decision up to a planning inspector.
The refusal has now been overturned, and the new betting shop will open next week.
Overturning the Council’s decision planning inspector R Bartlett said: “Whilst I acknowledge the proposal would result in a high concentration of similar establishments in a small area, given the overall size of the (city) centre, the wide mix of uses within it, and the fact that this part of Broadway is not designated as a primary or secondary shopping frontage, it would not be harmful to its vitality.
“Evidence before me for Bradford, surveyed 28 February 2024, indicates that 1.12 per cent of units in the city centre are gambling establishments. This is only marginally above the UK average of 0.99 per cent. The vacancy rate of units in the city centre is 26.14 per cent, which is almost double the UK average vacancy rate of 14.08 per cent. The proposal would utilise one of the many vacant units, which would support other town centre uses through linked trips to other shops and services in the centre, including during the evening given the proximity of the site to several food and drink outlets.
“I have not been made aware of any development plan policy threshold relating to the number of gambling or other non-retail premises that can be situated in a row or within any particular areas or distance from each other.
“Whilst four or five gambling establishments may be overconcentration in a smaller town or district centre or a local parade of shops, within the context of this city centre location and its wide range of surrounding retail and leisure uses, the proposal would result in a relatively small cluster of similar leisure uses, which would have a very limited effect on the overall mix of uses in the primary retail area and would not undermine it.”
Referring to the public health concerns raised by the Council, they said: “I acknowledge that the site is close to the council offices and services used by people seeking support for children, families, addiction, and financial problems, amongst other things. However, given the existing availability of gambling establishments in this area, the introduction of one more is unlikely to have any significant effect on those people or the choices they make.
“Whilst the premises could be reused as a drinking or fast-food establishment, there is also an abundance of these nearby, which also have public health implications, can give rise to crime and anti-social behaviour, mental health concerns, can influence young people and result in economic and social impacts.
“The proposed change of use would not reduce the vibrancy of the area, which given its pedestrianised nature and attractive seating areas appears to be well used by staff and residents of the adjacent office, leisure and residential units and passers-by.”
A spokesperson for Jenningsbet said the store will open on October 3, and added: “We are delighted to be opening in the heart of the City Centre bringing the vacant unit back into use and are investing in the region of £300,000 to provide one of the best equipped branches within our near 200 nationwide estate.
“We are conscious of our responsibilities within the communities that we operate within. Social Responsibility is at the forefront of Jenningsbet culture, and our employees are committed to ensuring that they understand their responsibilities in respect of Responsible Gambling.”
