Developing a Healthy Planning Framework

Planning policy, nationally and locally, shapes the environment we live in, and Local Plans can play an integral role in improving both physical and mental population health. Local Plans are produced by local authorities to provide the scope and legal basis for all their urban planning decisions. However, TRUUD research with more than 130 public and private urban development actors in 2021 found that Local Plans are inconsistent and weak regarding the health requirements that are expected from developers when making a planning application.

Built and natural environments affect our physical and mental health. However, urban development can result in towns and cities that do not support good health and wellbeing: homes may be of poor quality; greenspaces may be insufficient; cars may dominate with limited infrastructure to support walking and cycling; and social infrastructure, such as community centres or health centres, may not meet the needs of the local community.