Planning for healthy places

Full project title: Planning for healthy places: Co-development of guidance to systematically embed health in Local Plans in England

Duration: 2023–2024

Project lead for CPHWB: Dr Emma Bird

Research partners/collaborators:

• Town and Country Planning Association
• University of Bristol 

Funder: UKPRP

Aim: Drawing upon in-depth research and over a decade of practice supporting local authorities across the UK, UWE Bristol’s Centre for Public Health and Wellbeing, the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) and the University of Bristol have collaborated on the co-development of evidence based and user-friendly guidance to support those working across urban and rural local authorities in England to promote health through Local Plans.

Background: Local Plans are key documents through which local authorities can plan, design and influence environments to create and maintain health, yet they are often weak and inconsistent on how exactly this can be achieved. 

Methodology: Following a call for expressions of interest, 12 planning and public health officers from 7 local planning authorities (LPAs) across England, including Bristol City Council, were purposefully selected to support guidance co-development. Selected LPAs represented diversity in terms of Local Plan development stage, local authority type (i.e., unitary, two-tier), geographical location and LPA deprivation levels. LPA partners were invited to provide written and verbal feedback on draft guidance content to ensure its value and relevance in real-world local authority settings. 

Findings: The co-developed ‘Planning for healthy places’ guide was formally published and launched in September 2024. It includes detailed guidance on

1. how health should be characterised and justified in the Local Plan and explores the role of collaboration and health impact assessment at the plan-making stage
2. strategic and specific health-related policy areas that developers should be expected to consider when making planning applications
3. policies and other mechanisms can support policy implementation for better health outcomes. Examples of good policy language from existing adopted policy are provided throughout.

Conclusions: Those working in local authorities can collaborate to create healthier places for all and co-development of the ‘Planning for healthy places’ guide provides an approach that supports them to achieve this.

Planning for healthy places – a guide on embedding health in Local Plans and planning policy in England

For further information about the project, please contact Dr Emma Bird (emma.bird@uwe.ac.uk).