Healthy Urban Planning in

three UK Policy Contexts

Session A10.2
14th Annual Public Health Forum
 Healthy Urban Planning

„ Focuses on the positive impact on human health,

well-being and quality of life
„ Focuses urban planners on the impact of their work
for human health and well-being
„ Makes health objectives central to the decision
making process
„ Health is a core element of sustainable development
„ Aims to improve the quality of the built environment
and the quality of life of individuals and communities
in cities
 HUP Goals

„ To integrate health considerations into

city urban planning processes,
programmes and projects

„ To establish the necessary capacity and

political and institutional commitment to
achieve this
 HUP aims

„ To raise awareness and create a common

understanding of the concept of healthy
urban planning
„ To gain local practical experience from the
application of healthy urban planning

„ To work towards mainstreaming healthy

urban planning in cities
 HUP objectives for planners

„ Healthy exercise
„ Social cohesion
„ Housing quality
„ Access to employment opportunities
„ Accessibility to social and market facilities
„ Local low-impact food production and
distribution
HUP objectives for planners

„ Community and road safety

„ Equity and the reduction of poverty
„ Good air quality and protection from
excessive noise
„ Good water and sanitation quality
„ Conservation and decontamination of land
„ Climate stability
 HUP principles

„ Human health as a facet of sustainable

development
„ Cooperation between planning and health
agencies
„ Cooperation between the public, private and
voluntary sectors
„ Community consultation and empowerment
 HUP principles

„ Political commitment at highest level

„ Health-integrated plans and policies
„ Health integration at all scales
„ Comprehensive approach to the determinants
of health
„ Evidence based planning for health
 Evidence

„ No proven causal relationship between urban

design and improved health outcomes

„ Historical evidence, e.g. sanitation and

disease control, building controls and
improved fire safety
„ Links between planning and determinants of
health in modern context
English planning context

„ Local Development Framework

„ Portfolio of local development documents
„ Spatial rather than purely land use
„ Sustainable development is central
„ All LDF documents subject to sustainability
appraisal
„ Strategic Environmental Directive
2001/42/EC.
English case study
Brighton & Hove
„ HUP built into all LDF documents
„ Health criteria built into development briefs
& technical assessment processes
„ HIA on new major projects
„ Master Class series on HUP and sustainable
communities
„ HIA on LDF and LTP2
English case study
Stoke-on-Trent
„ HUP is strategic priority for LDF
„ Land reclamation
„ Transport
„ Hospital developments
„ Greening for growth
„ Housing market renewal
„ Healthy Urban Planning Action Plan
Northern Ireland planning context

„ Since 70s planning led by central government

„ Planning Service responsible for delivering
government planning policy
„ Key focus on sustainability & environment
„ Review of Public Administration
„ Return planning powers to Councils
 Belfast case study

„ Metropolitan Plan
„ Enhancing the ‘quality of life’
„ Equality impact assessment
„ Houses in Multiple Occupation Plan (HIA)
„ Inter-professional education
„ Queens University Joint module – public
health and urban planning
 Belfast SEA Indicators

SEA Objective Data / Indicators

Biodiversity Designated wildlife and landscapes sites,
etc

Climatic factors and Air Pollution Green house gas emissions, public
transport users, etc

Water & Soil Quality of Inland Waterways, Household

waste recovery, Landfill etc

Material Assets Housing density, Mineral Constraint, etc

Cultural Heritage & Landscape
Economy
Population & Human Health
Protected Areas, Listed Buildings, etc
Unemployment, Average earnings, etc
Pre School Centres, Higher Education
Enrolments, Mortality rates, Life
Expectancy etc

Social Inclusiveness Housing need Assessments, Social Housing,

Convictions etc
 Scottish planning context

„ Objectives
„ Land use framework promotes sustainable
economic development
„ Encourage and support regeneration
„ Maintain and enhance quality of natural
& built environment
 Scottish planning context

„ New Planning Bill

„ Modernise & make Planning System more
efficient
„ Give local people better opportunities to
influence decisions
„ 4 level hierarchy for applications
„ Sustainability a statutory responsibility
„ SEA a formal requirement
 Glasgow case study
„ Provide Evidence
„ Observatory Report, Lit. Review – neighbourhoods & health
„ FAB Greenspace Study

„ Build capacity
„ Training – SIA and HIA
„ Incorporating health into SEA

„ Mainstream health in strategic plans

„ GCVSP Structure Plan
„ GCVSP Common Health Action Programme
„ Glasgow City Plan
„ East End Development Plan
 Conclusions

„ The WHO HUP approach adds value to local

planning processes
„ It makes health an explicit consideration in
the planning process
„ Well designed built environments promote
opportunities for better health
„ Inter-professional approaches are key to
successful healthy urban planning