Planning to create healthy environments

A report into a study conducted by the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) and the Local Government Association (LGA) focused upon how local authority planners and public health experts can promote a healthier environment has been published.

The study involved work shops with 14 local authorities in 2015 and considered how each local authority and its partners addressed problems such as obesity through its planning policy and decisions on new housing developments. It is hoped that local authorities will be encouraged to explore the link between planning and health off the back of the work shops.

Findings outlined in the report state that local authorities are demonstrating the potential for the role of the planning system in changing health behaviours. This can be done through:

• promoting active travel and physical activity;
• encouraging access to local green spaces; and
• opportunities for growing food in allotments.

There were noted examples of how the planning system had already been used to change health behaviours, including limiting the number of takeaways within a 400 metre radius of schools.

Recommendations made by the report state that local authorities should consider a variety of measures, including:

• making it easier for people to walk and cycle more in urban areas;
• ensuring the areas surrounding schools are healthy by restricting the number of takeaways in the area;
• the provision of high quality public spaces in neighbourhoods which should include good healthcare facilities and open spaces;
• ensuring public facilities such as bike storage are readily available making it easier for people to leave their cars at home.

Chief executive at the TCPA, Kate Henderson, argued that it is important local authorities take every available opportunity to tackle the growing obesity epidemic by improving the environments they design and plan.

Izzi Seccombe, LGA community and wellbeing spokesperson commented: ''One of the important messages from this report is that to create this healthier environment we must work at many levels with many sectors, partners and local residents.'' She added that raising awareness, generating public debate and working with communities, schools and businesses using local government functions all help to make the local environment healthier for communities.