Where we live impacts on our health and wellbeing. Many of today’s health problems are the result of societal, environmental and economic issues. Poverty and elements such as whether we have access to safe and secure housing, the levels of pollution we’re exposed to, and the quality of the green spaces nearby all have a role to play.
However, not all homes and neighbourhoods provide the essential elements to promote health and wellbeing, and this leads to inequalities in health.
Instead of relying on the NHS to treat the symptoms of poor health, we should shift our focus to ‘creating health’. This means providing the conditions in which people can be healthy and helping them to be so. Achieving this requires a partnership, and the planning system is one tool local authorities have for doing so.
Evidence-led planning and design can shape a better built environment that provides health creating conditions, however the tools available for local authorities are not always clear.
This guide – created in partnership with the Quality of Life Foundation – sets out what can be done. It summarises the different planning and design tools available to local authorities in England and how evidence can be used to link these to the local context and challenges. It also includes case studies, shining a light on ambitious local authorities that are leading health creation.
