Plans for KFC off the menu

Kentucky Fried Chicken has lost its bid to open a new restaurant on the doorstep of Windsor High School in Richmond Street, Halesowen.

The plans caused uproar among parents, teachers and councillors who feared it would lead to temptation for youngsters to fill up on junk food during their lunch breaks and after school.

Protesters have now won their battle as the application has been turned down by Dudley Council. Planners decided there was no need for the application to go before its committee and have refused it on the grounds of lack of parking.

Ward councillor Jennifer Dunn and her colleagues as well as children's services chief Liz Walker had all objected to the plans.

Councillor Dunn today said she was pleased KFC had been turned down.

She said: "There was a lot of feeling against this and it would not have been the right message for KFC to have been allowed to open so close to a school with all the healthy eating work we have been doing recently.

"There are already a lot of takeaways along there and another one is not needed, this was turned down on the parking issue which also stirred up a lot of feeling among residents and businesses," she added.

KFC could appeal.