Building the Foundations: Tackling Obesity Through Planning and Development

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development

Lessons from the Town and Country Planning Association ‘Planning healthy weight environments’ workshops This publication was written by the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA). The TCPA is an independent housing and planning charity working to improve the planning system in accordance with principles of sustainable development. Over the last few years it has been undertaking activities under the theme of ‘Reuniting health with planning’.

For further details please see www.tcpa.org.uk/pages/health.html or contact:

Michael Chang Project and Policy Manager, TCPA [email protected]

The LGA and TCPA acknowledge contributions from, and collaboration with, colleagues at Public Health England, Leeds Beckett University and the councils involved in the workshops.

Cover image © Caroline Brown, David Lock Associates Supported by

Contents

Foreword 4

1. Executive summary 9

2. About this publication 10

3. Issues and opportunities 12

4. Planning healthy weight environments workshops 21

Workshop locations 22 Workshop attendees and their views 23 Wakefield Council 24 Portsmouth City Council 25 Newcastle City Council 26 Greater Manchester Public Health Network 27 Public Health England South East 29 Warwickshire County Council 30 Norfolk County Council 31 London Borough of Hackney 32 London Borough of Richmond-Upon-Thames 33 Northamptonshire County Council 34 Nottinghamshire County Council 35 North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland City and Northumberland County Councils 36 London Borough of Haringey 38 Royal Borough of Greenwich 40

5. Key references 40

Annex 1. Six planning healthy weight environments elements 41

Annex 2. Snapshot of workshop places 42

Workshop agenda structure 42 Summary of local development examples discussed during the workshops 43 Snapshot of local population and health profiles 44 Local plans and growth profiles 46

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 5 Foreword Local Government Association

England has one of the highest rates of unhealthy weight of other western countries. The prevalence of obesity in England has more than doubled in the last 25 years. And if we go on as we are, the rate of obese people is expected to double in the next 40 years. Although the recent increase in the prevalence of obesity has been seen in virtually every country in the world, the rate of increase in England has been particularly high. This is bad news for our residents, their children, our health and care services and our economy because being very overweight dramatically increases the risk of many long-term, life-threatening medical conditions.

Obesity is a complex problem that requires action from individuals and society across multiple sectors. One important action which the Foresight report from 2007 identified was the need to modify the environment so that it supports being active and does not promote sedentary behaviour or provide easy access to energy-dense food. Indeed, the Foresight report on obesity showed that to successfully address this problem we need to address it in a holistic manner on many levels, considering such issues as individual behaviour and food consumption.

The need for action at all levels of government and society has been recognised by the newly- announced partnership between Public Health England (PHE), the LGA, the Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH) and Leeds Beckett University to support councils in designing a whole-system approach to reducing obesity. NHS England is also developing a programme of support to councils in developing healthy towns and communities.

These initiatives recognise that local authorities, through a wide range of their functions, are well placed to take action to combat obesity. A multi-faceted approach to tackling this issue appears in all local authorities’ health and wellbeing strategies. A number of important publications have already drawn attention to the potential for local government to use its powers in a variety of ways to combat obesity and try to dilute some of the effects of the obesogenic environment. The planning system is one area in which local government can act.

Raising awareness, generating public debate, working with our communities, schools and businesses and using our local government functions can all help to make the food environment a healthier one for our children and young people. One of the important messages from this report is that to create this healthier environment we must work at many levels with many sectors and partners and with communities.

Councillor Izzi Seccombe Chair Community Wellbeing Portfolio

6 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development Public Health England

England is facing an obesity epidemic. One in three children is overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school and obesity prevalence in the most deprived 10 per cent of children in England is approximately twice that among the least deprived 10 per cent.

Tackling obesity and its causes is high on the public health agenda as it presents serious threats to both the health of our citizens and to the sustainability of the NHS. Childhood obesity is of particular concern, as people who are obese earlier in life are more likely to become obese adults. In 2014, an estimated 62 per cent of the adult population were overweight or obese.

The causes of obesity are wide-ranging and complex – there is no simple solution. Public Health England (PHE) recognises that only cross-sector, system-wide action can truly begin to turn the tide on this national epidemic and address the root causes of obesity.

PHE is committed to supporting local authorities to deliver whole-systems approaches to reduce obesity. As part of this work, and complementing our wider programme to tackle obesity, PHE will continue to support the development of place-based schemes to create environments where the healthier choice is the easiest choice.

This report builds on the learning and knowledge included in the TCPA’s 2014 document ‘Planning healthy-weight environments’. Produced in partnership with PHE, the report identified a series of themes and more specific elements that help to create healthy-weight environments.

One year on, and informed by the solid framework developed in the 2014 document, a series of practical workshops provided a dedicated forum for planners and public health teams to gain greater understanding of each other’s roles and expertise, as well as the scope and processes for influencing planning to promote healthier environments. Here, we report back on the learning from those workshops.

PHE welcomes this report and its contribution to promoting action on obesity, particularly following the launch of our ‘Everybody active everyday’ framework, our work with Sport England on the ‘Active design’ guidelines and our recently published evaluation of the evidence for action on reducing the nation’s sugar intake. Finally, our ambitious three-year programme ‘Whole systems obesity’ also commits to supporting local authorities to deliver whole-systems approaches to reduce obesity, including place-based action.

‘Planning healthy-weight environments’ provided a strong foundation for exploring opportunities to address obesity and should inform further collaboration to integrate health into planning decisions for future generations.

Professor Kevin Fenton National Director for Health and Wellbeing Public Health England

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 7 Town and Country Planning Association

We all need a good planning system to create better places. We must create places where it is easy for people to lead healthier lifestyles. We need to plan places with space for children to play, places that encourage modest exercise for everyone – whether walking, cycling, or enjoying nature – and spaces for sport and recreation.

We all know instinctively that the places where we live affect our health and wellbeing and there is powerful evidence to support this. However, turning this understanding into practical actions that will help us create healthy environments is not so easy. It involves policies, organisational structures, professional practices and social and cultural change. It is not straightforward, but it is important: if we can create places in which it is easy to have a healthy lifestyle we will help prevent illness, improve people’s lives and cut healthcare costs.

For the last three years the TCPA has brought together planners and public health professionals to help them collaborate to create healthier places. This is an ongoing project called ‘Reuniting health with planning’. We have looked at policies and structures, but, even more importantly, we have worked with councils around the country to help us understand what can be achieved in practice easily, and what is harder to achieve. This publication summarises what we have learned during 2015, from workshops held with planners and public health teams across England. It is a snap-shot of findings drawn from councils that are working hard to improve the quality of their places. None of them has got all the answers. Nor has the TCPA. But, working together, and learning from each other, we are making progress. We hope this publication inspires other councils to try to create places in which leading a healthy life is the easiest option. As the economic burden of obesity on healthcare increases, as a nation we simply cannot afford not to do this.

Peter Hetherington Chair Town and Country Planning Association

8 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 1. Executive summary

Obesity is a major public health crisis and it 1. Leadership is vital is now recognised that the built environment is one of the many complex factors that Call for local action: In order for councils to influence whether or not people are obese take a whole-systems approach to tackling or overweight. Given the complexity of the obesity through built environment initiatives, causes of obesity1, many professions need to councillors and senior officers representing understand the role they can play in helping both planning and public health should to prevent and reduce its prevalence. This visibly champion this agenda and create publication is aimed at anyone whose work the right conditions for collaborative working influences the built environment. Primarily, across teams and organisational boundaries. however, it is aimed at councils: specifically System-wide leadership can support people working in planning and environment opportunities for engagement activities for teams; public health teams; and councillors. senior officers and councillors, especially clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and cabinet-level members, supported, for health and wellbeing boards (HWBs) should example, by joint briefings from planning and also find it useful. public health teams.

This report, based on work undertaken in 2015, is the latest in a series of projects 2. Towards whole-system that the TCPA has been working on under the title, ‘Reuniting health with planning’2. It policies on obesity follows the TCPA’s 2014 publication, ‘Planning Councils should aim to healthy weight environments’3, which set out Call for local action: achieve consistency across all their strategies the elements of a healthy weight environment and policies regarding the built environment in a practical framework that can be used and obesity. by planners and public health officers. To help councils put this into practice, in 2015 • Health and wellbeing boards should review the TCPA, with support from PHE, facilitated joint health and wellbeing strategies to workshops with councils around the country. ensure that councils are joining-up policy actions for tackling obesity from the health Section 3 describes the insights gained from and planning perspectives. Obesity the workshops. These are set out as seven strategies, where councils have them, possible areas for local action which councils should include specific priorities to guide might consider taking forward. planners about how to help achieve healthy weight environments. • When local plans are reviewed, councils should consider how health issues, such

1 Government Office for Science. 2007. Tackling obesities: as tackling obesity, or promoting greater future choices – project report physical activity, can be incorporated. 2 See the TCPA’s website here: www.tcpa.org.uk/pages/ health.html 3 TCPA. 2014. Planning healthy weight environments

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 9 3. Support public health internal use only, or as part of guidance given to developers. and planning teams to collaborate effectively in 5. Evaluate the effectiveness development management of healthy weight Call for local action: Councils should encourage their public health and planning environment initiatives teams to agree a process that supports Call for local action: Public health teams public health teams to comment on relevant and planning teams should jointly look for planning applications at a useful point in the opportunities to evaluate the impact of spatial development management process. This interventions that might help achieve healthy could be simply to ensure that development weight environments. Monitoring their impact management officers know who in the public would be a long term endeavour and would health team should be sent notifications of take long term commitment between teams planning applications and for the public health and would demonstrate a shared commitment team to identify a dedicated person who will to addressing a serious health challenge respond. A similar process could also be facing all communities. Options could include agreed for the local plan-making process. partnerships with local universities and research councils such as the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the 4. Agree a consistent Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). and holistic approach for assessing planning 6. Develop ways to gather applications for their evidence of healthy weight implications on shaping a environments that is healthy weight environment. appropriate for planning Councils might consider Call for local action: Public health and using the TCPA’s six healthy planning teams could jointly review the weight elements to guide evidence in the joint strategic needs assessment (JSNA) and local plan to identify this process. gaps and work out how they might address In ‘Planning healthy weight environments’ the them. Partnerships with academia could be TCPA set out six elements to help achieve helpful, in particular to draw evidence from healthy weight environments through the the wealth of peer-reviewed journals. planning process. These provide a useful framework to consider the impact of new developments to support people to maintain 7. Support delivery healthy weight, both within councils and with through knowledge and developers. The six elements are: movement skills development and access; open spaces, recreation and play; food environment; neighbourhood Call for local action: Councils should spaces; building design; and local economy. look for opportunities to provide shared training sessions for public health teams Call for local action: Agree a consistent and planners. They could also try to provide approach to how planning healthy weight practical learning, on a project-by-project issues can be raised during the planning basis, perhaps through secondments. applications stage. A local planning and health checklist could be created, either for

10 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development Conclusion There is still a lot to learn about the role of the built environment and its impact on the Never before have so many councils across complex causes of obesity and how it can the country held workshops to collaborate also promote, or hinder opportunities, for on the links between health and planning. physical activity or access to healthy food What has become clear is that there is no environments. single way of working on these issues: each Planning healthy weight environments will place has its unique population profile, only ever be one element in working towards geography and levels of obesity – not to a downward trend in obesity in children and mention its unique political and institutional adults – but it is a vital element. With strong arrangements. leadership, closer working partnerships The councils that held workshops are in the across council departments and the vanguard of the movement to re-unite health involvement of the community and other local with planning, and in particular to tackle the stakeholders we can ensure that the places obesity crisis locally. However, as they would we plan and create today will benefit the admit, they do not have all of the answers. health and wellbeing of future generations.

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 11 2. About this publication

It is now generally accepted that the built achieving a built and natural environment that environment is one of the many interrelated will help support healthy weight populations. factors that influence people’s behaviour and whether or not they are obese, or overweight, This document is the latest in a series of or able to maintain a healthy weight. projects that the TCPA has been working on under the title ‘Reuniting health with In October 2007 the Government Office planning’7. It is aimed at councils and their of Science published its highly influential partners, and in particular town planners ‘Foresight’ report, ‘Tackling obesities – future and public health teams. It follows the choices’4, which made it clear that obesity is TCPA’s publication, ‘Planning healthy weight a complex problem that can only be tackled environments’ , which was informed by a by taking a ‘whole-system’ approach and series of workshops held in 2014. that there are no single, simple solutions. Multiple policies and actions are required, ‘Planning healthy weight environments’ operating across the range of causal factors, established the elements that make up a and at various levels across national and healthy weight environment and presented local governments and their local partners. them in a practical framework that can be Given the complexity of the causes of obesity, used by planners in their work, both in plan- the involvement of many professions will be making and development management. The needed to help reduce its prevalence. Within six elements of a healthy weight environment local government, planning and development over which planning can have a positive are integral to a whole-systems approach. influence, identified in ‘Planning healthy weight environments’8 are: National and local coordinated action to tackle the obesity crisis has reached a critical • movement and access phase. In October 2015 PHE, the LGA and • open spaces, recreation and play the ADPH announced a partnership with • food environment Leeds Beckett University to support councils to design a whole-systems approach to • neighbourhood spaces 5 tackling obesity . In addition, NHS England • building design is providing a programme of support for councils to develop ways to create healthy • local economy. new towns and communities6. Both national initiatives put planning and development firmly within a coordinated approach to

4 Government Office for Science. 2007. Tackling obesities: future choices – project report. 5 For information about the Leeds Beckett whole systems approach to tackling obesity project www.leedsbeckett. ac.uk/wholesystemsobesity 6 For information about the NHS England ‘Healthy new 7 See the TCPA’s website here: www.tcpa.org.uk/pages/ towns’ project see www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/innovation/ health.html healthy-new-towns 8 TCPA. 2014. Planning healthy weight environments

12 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development A more detailed description of what each of The next sections of this document describe these headings means and how they can be what the TCPA learned from the workshops applied in the planning process can be found in terms of the practical challenges that in Annex 1 of this document and in ‘Planning councils encounter when trying to achieve healthy weight environments’. healthier weight environments – and the many opportunities that effective collaboration ‘Planning healthy weight environments’ set out between planners and public health teams what planners and public health officers need make possible. Many of the findings to know; but knowing something and putting support and enhance those discovered it into practice are not the same thing. To help during the workshops that were held in translate this knowledge into practice the 2014 that informed ‘Planning healthy weight TCPA facilitated a programme of workshops environments’. with 15 councils around the country which took place during 2015. The outputs of this programme have been two-fold.

Firstly, the workshops encouraged each council to examine to what extent it is tackling the obesity crisis9 through planning and development. The TCPA provided support and facilitation to generate conversations and help improve practice. Planners and public health officers selected examples of recent local planning applications and looked at to what extent the elements that make up a healthy weight environment had been considered. By using real, local development examples, informed by local health profiles (see Annex 2), participants were challenged to think in-depth about local issues and options. At the end of each workshop they completed an evaluation form with both quantitative and qualitative questions. The result of this was fed back to each council as part of the collaboration to enable them to implement any recommendations.

Secondly, the workshops revealed the variety of ways in which planning and public health, along with other relevant disciplines such as transport and regeneration, can tackle local health and obesity issues through policies, processes or initiatives. This learning is set out in this document. Councils that did not take part in the workshops may be relieved to discover that they share many of the challenges faced by those that participated.

9 Summaries can be accessed in Section 4 of this publication and details found on the TCPA project website here www.tcpa.org.uk/pages/health-and-planning-with-local- authorities-2014.html

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 13 3. Issues and opportunities

1. Leadership is vital Councillors could also attend training or events with officers. As we observed, this Strong and visible leadership from councillors can help generate innovative and transparent and/or senior officers is important if planners ways of working; drive forward solutions and public health teams are going to for challenging policy issues; and support collaborate effectively and the council is collaborative working. This is the essence of going to take a whole-systems approach to taking a whole-systems approach to reducing tackling obesity. obesity across the council.

Six of the workshops began with an opening Call for local action: In order for councils to address from cabinet-level councillors take a whole-systems approach to tackling with portfolios in public health and in obesity through built environment initiatives, planning. Eleven of the workshops included councillors and senior officers representing presentations and active participation from both planning and public health should directors of public health and executive visibly champion this agenda and create heads of planning or transport. It was clear the right conditions for collaborative working that their enthusiasm and commitment to this across teams and organisational boundaries. agenda was highly motivating for officers and System-wide leadership can support helped collaboration within the council and opportunities for engagement activities for with external partners. Working to achieve senior officers and councillors, especially healthy weight environments is as much cabinet-level members, supported, for about having the right institutional support as example, by joint briefings from planning it is about policies – strong and enthusiastic and public health teams. leadership is an important element of making it happen. 2. Towards whole-system Fifty two per cent of the workshop participants suggested that influencing local policies on obesity politicians was a challenge when promoting In order to help achieve environments healthy-weight environments. that have a positive effect on local health, Leadership can take many forms. If, within a wellbeing and obesity levels, councils will council, cabinet members with responsibility need to integrate and co-ordinate their for planning and for public health are seen planning and public health policies. This is a to be collaborating, it will become easier vital part of taking a whole-systems approach for their respective teams of officers to to reducing obesity at a local level. Conflicting collaborate more effectively. Councillors and or absent local policies are undermining senior officers can also help ensure that attempts to deliver healthier places. the need to take action regarding the built The National Planning Policy Framework environment becomes a priority of the health (NPPF) provides the backdrop for local and wellbeing board. planning policy. It includes clear objectives for planning and health. Core planning principle

14 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development (paragraph 17) states that: ‘Planning should should be communicated in a consistent take account of and support local strategies narrative running through both public health to improve health and wellbeing for all.’ The and planning policies. It will then be clear, Planning Practice Guidance provides further and the reasons for it will be evident, both to advice on health and wellbeing including developers, and to planning inspectors during many facets related to a healthy weight examinations of local plans and appeal environment. hearings.

At a local level, the need for a strong health The importance of coordinating planning and wellbeing vision, supported by a robust and public health policies was one of the policy framework for the built and natural most consistent findings from the workshops. environments, should not be under-estimated. When asked about the difficulties they Decisions made within the planning system faced, participants cited “competing policy are made in accordance with plans, priorities”, both now and in the future, as strategies and policies underpinned by some of their biggest challenges. Sixty one evidence. It is important that councils develop per cent said this was a problem “now” whole-system policies for obesity so that and 41 per cent predicted it would be “in planners can include the policies within the the future”. Participants were not asked to local plan or apply them during the planning specify what these competing priorities were. applications process. Similarly “a lack of specific policy or statutory duty” was seen to be a challenge now by 45 Local plans should reflect the priorities per cent of participants; and in the future by in the joint health and wellbeing strategy 24 per cent. (JHWS). However, for this to happen, the JHWS has to contain priorities for reducing Call for local action: Councils should aim to obesity and include clear actions for the built achieve consistency across all their strategies environment. In practice, many JHWS do not and policies regarding the built environment yet recognise that the planning system has a and obesity. role in helping to deliver obesity objectives. Research undertaken by the TCPA in 201410 • Health and wellbeing boards should review found that less than a third of all JHWS refer joint health and wellbeing strategies to to the influence of the built environment on ensure that councils are joining-up policy obesity11. Despite this, because the NPPF actions for tackling obesity from the health sets out policy objectives and requirements and planning perspectives. Obesity relevant to healthy weight environments, local strategies, where councils have them, plans adopted after March 2012 (when the should include specific priorities to guide NPPF came into force) are taking these issues planners about how to help achieve healthy into account. weight environments. • When local plans are reviewed, councils Some councils have introduced stand-alone should consider how health issues, such health and wellbeing policies in local plans. as tackling obesity, or promoting greater In many places, however, planning policies physical activity, can be incorporated. with relevance to health are included within policies on the built and natural environments or sustainable transport.

If specific planning policies regarding health are developed, for instance policies regarding obesity, the reasons for doing this

10 See TCPA. 2014. Planning healthy weight environments 11 This research can be downloaded from www.tcpa.org.uk/ pages/planning-out-obesity-2014.html

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 15 3. Support public health Public health teams can also try to influence the guidance provided to planning applicants and planning teams to to ensure it includes healthy weight collaborate effectively in environment considerations. development management Development management is one part of the planning process: the other key part is ‘Development management’ is the process drafting the local plan and its policies. Again, of assessing and deciding on planning when a new local plan is being prepared, applications for new developments. public health teams should collaborate with Development management planners have their colleagues in planning to agree the to take decisions in accordance with most timely and effective way for them to be specified processes, stages and timescales involved. set out in regulations12. The policies and processes must be followed strictly because If a council already has an adopted local any deviation could result in a judicial review, plan, public health teams should make or appeal challenge, from developers or the themselves aware of the range of policies community. with relevance for healthy weight, such as: open space; active travel; play and leisure Public health teams need to understand provision; good design; or access to healthy how, and at which points, to engage in food. Understanding the policies in the the development management process in current local plan will allow any policy gaps order to be effective. In order to do this, the to be identified. public health and planning teams should be encouraged to work together so they can The need for planners and public health agree the most timely and effective way for teams to work out ways to collaborate public health to engage in the process. effectively was identified by more than half of the workshop participants. Fifty two per Public health teams are not ‘statutory cent cited “silo mentality in departments/ consultees’ in the planning application teams/ professions” as the second greatest process and so do not have to be consulted. challenge they face. However it is common practice for public health teams to be consulted as ‘non- Call for local action: Councils should statutory consultees’. In some councils, a encourage their public health and planning clear process for ensuring that public health teams to agree a process that supports is consulted has been set up and agreed by public health teams to comment on relevant both the planning and public health teams. planning applications at a useful point in the For example, Stockport Metropolitan Borough development management process. This Council has an internal ‘public health could be simply to ensure that development response’ process with a dedicated email management officers know who in the public address. health team should be sent notifications of planning applications and for the public Public health teams should be aware of health team to identify a dedicated person local planning requirements for health – for who will respond. A similar process could example whether a health impact assessment also be agreed for the local plan-making is required for some planning applications. process. This is the case in many councils, including councils within the Greater Norwich growth area, Northamptonshire County Council and the Royal Borough of Greenwich.

12 For more guidance see section 5 of TCPA. 2015. Public health in planning – good practice guide

16 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 4. Agree a consistent Public health colleagues were able to advise about topics such as: and holistic approach • appropriate locations for allotments or for assessing planning community gardens applications for their • the proximity of a development to implications on shaping a vulnerable sections of the community healthy weight environment. • linking developments to homes, business or schools, and existing initiatives on Councils might consider promoting healthy living, increasing using the TCPA’s six healthy physical activity, or weight management weight elements to guide • monitoring of travel plans this process. • influencing the phasing of a development to ensure that elements that could have the The TCPA has set out six elements that help biggest health benefits are built in at an achieve healthy weight environments through early stage. the planning process. These provide a useful framework for discussions about new Because the causes of obesity are complex developments, both within councils, and with and inter-related it is important that all of developers. the six elements of planning healthy weight environments are included in any discussion The six elements are: movement and of a development, not just one or two. access; open spaces; recreation and play; food environment; neighbourhood spaces; However for a variety of reasons, including building design; and local economy. professional knowledge and awareness, and political and policy contexts, in many cases The workshops examined a range of local the movement and access, and open space development examples using the TCPA elements were better addressed during the guidance. The workshops reconfirmed these workshop discussions than, for instance, six elements as key principles. Councils issues such as ensuring a healthier food found that working systematically through environment. This was likely to be a result the six elements was a very useful way of of the types of people who attended the highlighting key issues to be considered to workshops: 26 per cent were planners; 33 help maximise design which promoted a per cent from public health; and 10 per cent healthy weight environment. Planners, public were transport officers. health officers and other local colleagues, Planners, generally, had a lower awareness including councillors, transport planners, as of planning’s contribution to achieving well as local communities stakeholders found a healthy ‘food environment’ beyond the them extremely useful when applying issue of hot-food takeaways. There is a to specific masterplan designs. clear opportunity for public health teams What became evident from the discussions at to help planners understand the local food the workshops (see Annex 2) was how many environment and the influence that they can of these elements were already embedded in have over it. This might include enabling land the proposals, or were supplemented through use opportunities to grow food in and around planning conditions and Section 106 planning developments. As well as encouraging home- obligations where they were not. grown food this can help raise awareness of the inter-related nature of access to healthy It was clear from the workshops that involving food, wellbeing and the local economy13. public health officers in planning discussions added value to the planning process. 13 For an inspiring example of the potential of locally grown food to transform places see the work of Incredible Edible Todmorden www.incredible-edible-todmorden.co.uk

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 17 In contrast, public health teams tended to Call for local action: Public health teams have a low awareness of what was, and and planning teams should jointly look for was not, within the scope of town planning. opportunities to evaluate the impact of spatial For instance, many believed that the ‘use interventions that might help achieve healthy class’ designations can be used to insist weight environments. Monitoring their impact that hot food takeaway serve healthy food. would be a long term endeavour and would ‘Use classes’ specify the type of activity that take long term commitment between teams can take place in a building. For example and would demonstrate a shared commitment if a building is classified as ‘A5’ (hot food to addressing a serious health challenge takeaways) then it can only be used to sell facing all communities. Options could include hot food to be consumed off the premises. partnerships with local universities and ‘A3’ (restaurants and cafes) is the research councils such as the Economic and classification for buildings in which food and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the drink can be sold to be consumed on the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). premises. However, neither classification says anything about the type of food to be In planning decisions, examples of planning consumed, and there are discussions about conditions that could help deliver some of the whether there is a role for planning in this. components of a healthy weight environment, include: In some of the workshops it was clear that the public health officers did not know where to • a landscape management plan, including start when asked to comment on a planning long-term design objectives, management application. Giving them the six elements responsibilities and maintenance schedules of planning healthy weight environments for all landscape areas presented as a checklist helped the discussion, • a walking and cycling strategy for the whole allowed a structured assessment of proposals, development to be submitted before people and helped an understanding of their individual move into the development and cumulative influence on obesity. • full details of the ‘Homezones’14 within each Some councils, such as Wakefield Council residential phase and the London Growth Boroughs, have • full details of children’s play areas and play developed healthy planning checklists equipment proposed for a park to ensure health elements are taken into account. The aim is not to create more • a travel plan to be submitted, or a travel checklists, but to ensure a consistent and plan co-ordinator to be appointed, and holistic approach to assessing planning proposals to promote alternative forms applications against specific local health of transport to and from the site to be objectives and evidence, such as obesity, provided and to be reviewed periodically deprivation and physical activity levels. • restrictions on takeaways, by stipulating that the permitted use cannot include the sale of hot food for consumption off the premises.

14 ‘Home zones’ are residential streets with shared space between vehicles and other road users.

18 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 5. Evaluate the information. However, despite this, more than three quarters, 78 per cent, believed that the effectiveness of healthy developments had the potential to make a weight environment positive impact. initiatives Call for local action: Working with planners, public health teams should look Many of the elements of a healthy weight for opportunities to evaluate the impact of environment are already being included spatial interventions that might help achieve in development plans or through planning healthy weight environments. Monitoring their conditions. However, generally there is impact would be a long-term endeavour, a lack of a systematic approach to the but planning, too is a long-term endeavour. monitoring and evaluation of both the delivery Options could include partnerships with local of planning policies and the delivery of universities and research councils such as individual developments. the ESRC and NERC. One example where monitoring is taking place is the ENABLE15 project in the Olympic Park development which is seeking to evaluate 6. Develop ways to gather whether and how the built environment affects evidence of healthy weight people’s physical activity patterns. environments that is Generally, however, monitoring and evaluation appropriate for planning could be improved. For example, a standard planning condition might require a travel plan Throughout the TCPA’s ‘Reuniting health with for a new development and specify stages for planning’ work a consistent theme has been review and monitoring. However, it is often not that planning and public health practitioners clear who will monitor the results of the travel struggle to find relevant evidence, in an plan. This presents an opportunity for public appropriate format, to support the planning health to work with transport colleagues process. In order to influence planning to assess the health benefits to the new decisions, data has to be spatial ie it must community. be attributable to the neighbourhood or ward level, rather than relating to the population as Another opportunity is the annual ‘authority a whole. monitoring report’ that planning authorities have to produce to demonstrate how the Paragraph 171 of the NPPF is about the delivery of their local plan is progressing. evidence-base for health and wellbeing in Many councils include health-specific local plans. It says that health data in the indicators in their reports, not least to JSNA or other health assessments should provide an understanding of how changes form part of the local plan evidence-base to population health relate to projected and be reflected in planning policies that housing growth. address the issue. In order for this to happen, JSNAs should include references to the built The widespread lack of effective monitoring environment, and it should be presented in and evaluation was reflected in the views a useful format to planners, such as GIS- of nearly half of the workshop participants. generated mapping. Participants were not aware of whether any specific considerations had been given to Despite the TCPA’s experience that the lack of the potential impact of these proposals on appropriate evidence is a common barrier to health issues, such as obesity, or were not influencing planning decisions, this was not able to make a judgement without further perceived to be a particular challenge by the participants at the workshops. 15 See details of the ENABLE London study www.enable.sgul.ac.uk

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 19 Out of seven challenges and threats, ‘lack 7. Support delivery through of relevant evidence’ solicited the lowest responses. Around a third of participants, knowledge and skills 35 per cent, thought it was a problem now; development and 14 per cent thought it would be in the future. However, many of the workshop Even if good policies are in place and helpful participants were engaging in these issues guidance is available, council planning and for the first time and, judging by the workshop public health teams need to have the right discussions, had not yet gained a deep skills, knowledge, opportunities to collaborate enough understanding of the issues to have and conditions for taking effective action if fully appreciated that the lack of appropriate they are going to implement the policies. evidence could be a barrier. The TCPA’s Across all of the workshops it was clear that experience suggests that ‘the evidence there were two particular knowledge gaps problem’ is far more of an issue to those that could usefully be addressed, as noted in who have been engaging in this agenda point 3. for some time. • Planners generally had a low awareness The challenge is to present health and of their influence on the local ‘food demographic evidence spatially, with clear environment’. Although many were built and natural environment objectives. conscious of concerns about the number This can support the development of and location of hot-food takeaways, this appropriate policies in local plans and proper was often the limit of their thinking about consideration in planning decisions. Effective the food environment and the potential for evidence bases have been created where the local authority as a whole to influence it. public health and planning teams have collaborated on a single planning and health • People working in public health often did issue. For instance, evidence was used to not understand what town planning can, develop policies for fast food takeaways in and cannot, influence. For instance, many the local plans of South Tyneside Council and thought that the ‘use-class’ system could the London Borough of Haringey; and the be used to stipulate the type of food sold in London Borough of Merton is trying to ensure takeaways. that built and natural environment evidence is This suggests that it would be beneficial for included effectively in future JSNA reviews16. councils to arrange joint training sessions Call for local action: Public health and in which planners and public health teams planning teams could jointly review the could teach each other about aspects of their evidence in the JSNA and local plan to work that could influence obesity. identify gaps and work out how they might It was encouraging that nearly three-quarters address them. Partnerships with academia of workshop participants, 74 per cent, were could be helpful, in particular to draw aware of their council’s priorities regarding evidence from the wealth of peer-reviewed healthy-weight issues; and two-thirds, 64 per journals. cent, believed that they had a professional contribution to make in reducing local obesity levels.

A few councils, such as Warwickshire County Council, have decided to employ ‘health planners’, jointly funded by the planning team and the public health team, whose role is focused on helping the two teams collaborate more effectively. 16 For more guidance see section 6 of TCPA. 2015. Public health in planning – good practice guide

20 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development Almost half of the workshop participants, There are also obesity networks including: 47 per cent, cited lack of resources as the London Obesity Group; East of England being one of the key challenges and threats Obesity Network; and the Strategic Obesity they face now and 38 per cent thought this Network. Council officer networks, such would continue be the case in the future. The as county planning officer liaison groups, TCPA recognises many councils do not have environmental health officers groups, or the resources to fund this sort of post and chief officers group, are also useful forums instead need to focus on training, providing to support the engagement of planning and opportunities for secondments, and actively public health teams. encouraging joint working and collaboration between their public health teams and Call for local action: Councils should planners. look for opportunities to provide shared training sessions for public health teams Unitary councils have the advantage that their and planners. They could also try to provide planners and public health teams all work for practical hands-on learning on a project- the same council. In counties, however, the by-project basis and through secondment public health practitioners work for the county, opportunities. whereas the planners work for the lower-tier district or borough planning authorities. This, inevitably, makes collaboration more difficult, Conclusion although it can still be achieved by having an agreed process that sets out how public The TCPA believes 2015 marked a milestone health will engage in the planning process, in bringing together planning and public as described in point three above. Taking a health teams in councils to tackle health whole systems approach across the councils issues such as obesity. Never before have so will be important. many councils across the country held locally informed workshops, as part of a coordinated Having a forum for sharing and exchanging national programme, to collaborate on the links knowledge and experience can prove to between health and planning. What has been be a low-cost and highly effective way of clear is that there is no single way of working building working relationships and facilitating on these issues and that each place has its collaboration. Such forums can also help unique population profile, geography and bridge the gap between policy and practice, levels of obesity – not to mention its unique and between academic research and political and institutional arrangements. practice, while providing much-needed continuing professional development (CPD). The councils that held workshops are in the The half-day TCPA planning healthy weight vanguard of the movement to re-unite health environments workshops that have informed with planning, and in particular to tackle the this report are an example of this – 96 obesity crisis locally. However, as they would per cent of participants said they found admit, they do not have all of the answers. attendance at the workshop useful. There is still a lot to learn about the role of the built environment and its impact on the Other examples of regional/ local thematic complex causes of obesity and how it can groupings lead by councils, sometimes with also promote, or hinder opportunities, for support from Public Health England’s centres, physical activity or access to healthy food include: the Greater Manchester Public environments. Health Network; Learning for Public Health West Midlands; Sandwell Healthy Urban Planning places in which living a healthy life Development Group; and the London Healthy is the easy option is the essence of good High Streets group. planning. It is important that work continues at a local level to develop what the Foresight report refers to as ‘better practice’.

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 21 Planning healthy weight environments will only ever be one element in helping to achieve a downward trend in obesity in children and adults – but it is a vital element. With strong leadership, closer working partnerships across council departments, and the active involvement of other local stakeholders, we can ensure that the places we plan and create today will benefit the health and wellbeing of future generations.

22 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 4. Planning healthy weight environments workshops

In 2015 the TCPA ran a series of bespoke 1. movement and access workshops in collaboration with councils across England. Key points from each of the 2. open spaces, recreation and play workshops are presented in the following 3. food environment section as a series of one-page summaries, in chronological order according to the date 4. neighbourhood spaces of the workshop. Each should be considered 5. building design a snapshot of work in progress as observed, illustrating different approaches to policy and 6. local economy. practice highlighted during the workshops. Overarching lessons and findings have been The aim of the discussions was to take described in Section 3. participants through the thought processes that public health officers would need to go Before each workshop, the TCPA reviewed through in order to provide comments on a the council’s policy framework for planning, real planning application. This process helped health and tackling obesity. This involved draw out current and emerging practice. Full identifying priorities in the health and workshop information and materials can be wellbeing strategy and planning policies in accessed on the TCPA website. the adopted local plan. This indicated the level of policy integration across the council.

The workshop discussions were focused on real local places by using actual development proposals suggested by the planners (see Annex 2 for a list of development examples discussed). The sizes of these developments range from 143 to 5,000 new homes with associated developments such as offices, shops and open spaces. Most examples had already been granted planning permission. Taken together these examples will account for 8 per cent of these councils’ housing growth requirements.

Participants were given information about the planning applications, such as the masterplan and details from the planning, design and access, and health impact assessments. Discussions were structured using the six ‘planning healthy weight environments’ elements as a checklist of considerations:

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 23 Workshop locations

3 12

1 4

8, 9, 13, 14 5

Planning healthy 10. Northampton, 3 September Planning healthy weight environments 11. Nottinghamshire, 1 October weight environments workshops, 2015 12. Tyneside, 7 October workshops, 2014 1. Wakefield, 5 March 13. Haringey, 9 October Sefton 2. Portsmouth, 13 March 14. Woolwich, 27 October Stockport 3. Newcastle, 16 March Hertfordshire 4. Oldham, 11 June Luton 5. Wokingham, 14 July Other TCPA ‘place’ Suffolk 6. Warwick, 16 July workshops, 2015 Lincolnshire 7. Norfolk, 21 July Derbyshire Sandwell 8. Hackney, 27 July Merton 9. Richmond-upon-Thames, Buckinghamshire 1 September Belfast (Northern Ireland)

24 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development Workshop attendees and their views Responses from the 290 evaluation forms completed after the workshops.

Are you working in:

10% Planning

3% 26% Public health 2% Environmental health 4% Transport 2% Sport and physical activity 5% Housing

2% Regeneration

3% Diet and obesity NHS and CCG Food 10% Elected member

3% 33% Other

* Please note that there were multiple responses from some participants to this question

What was your understanding and recognition of healthy weight issues in relation to planning and development?

11% After None at all - 1 13% Before

2 1% 12%

3 11% 32%

4 46% 34%

A great deal - 5 32% 10%

0 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

What key challenges and threats do you face now and in the future when promoting Now healthy weight through your job? Future

70% 61% 60% 51% 48% 47% 45% 50% 45% 41% 38% 36% 40% 35% 26%

30% 24% 22%

20% 14% 10% 2% 1%

0% or external partners colleagues Lack of leverage with duty policy or statutory Lack of specific priorities Competing policy and tools Lack of resources political will local politicians/ Influencing teams/professsions in departments/ Silo mentality evidence base Lack of revelant Others

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 25 Wakefield Council

“We all need to work together to prevent opportunities to improve the existing health the causes of poor health or we will all profiles of the local communities to the north have to deal with the consequences. One of the site, by, for instance, improving healthy of the most effective ways we can do this food provision. These opportunities should be is through the creation of attractive, clean, explored as the development progresses to safe environments that encourage people planning application stage. to lead healthy, active lives. This is why It was helpful that a developer representing events such as this, which bring together the City Fields Consortium, was present on people from a range of varied disciplines the day, both to participate and to listen to and organisations, are so valuable.” discussions. Not many areas were able to Councillor Pat Garbutt, Cabinet Member engage so constructively with developers. for Adults and Health Wakefield should seek to strengthen this relationship to really ensure the development On 5 March Wakefield Council hosted a results in good health outcomes. workshop attended by officers from the council and other representatives from Policy: Local priorities the west Yorkshire sub-region. Councillor Wakefield’s local policy framework is strong Pat Garbutt, Cabinet Member for Adults in addressing many of the ‘planning healthy and Health, provided opening remarks to weight environment’ elements, captured highlight the joined-up partnership approach mainly in its planning policy CS10 and on for Wakefield with prevention at the core. healthcare provision. The workshop provided the opportunity to raise awareness of the links between health Wakefield core Wakefield site and the environment and the healthy weight strategy specific policies agenda and also provided the council an (adopted 2009) local plan opportunity to feed into the masterplan/ • CS 4 Sustainable • Health and health impact assessment for the City Fields transport wellbeing strategy development. for Wakefield • CS 5 Community 2013-16 Practice: Local learning facilities and Wakefield has recently published its ‘Rapid services • Healthy weight health and wellbeing impact assessment healthy lives for planning tool’. It has been designed • CS 10 Design, strategy 2010-13 to simplify and streamline the process of safety and carrying out health impact assessments of a environmental development scheme as part of the planning quality application process. • CS 11 Leisure, City Fields, a major urban extension to the recreation and east of Wakefield to be developed over the open space next 15-20 years, will bring a significant amount of housing (meeting about 7 per Contact Helen Laird cent of local housing need), transport, Health and Wellbeing Manager economic, community and environmental benefits to the area. Its proximity to the city centre, canals and the provision of education facilities and a major transport network should provide promising opportunities to include healthy development elements for the future community. It might also be possible

26 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development Portsmouth City Council

“The Town and Country Planning The workshop included a session to identify Association workshop was a real success; key actions following the workshop to help some excellent ideas came out of the implement its healthy weight strategy, session. The connection between people especially as the local transport plan and living in a deprived area with little access local plan partial review processes were to green spaces and poor health and underway and are opportunities not to be wellbeing is evident and as Portsmouth missed. has one of the most densely populated Policy: Local priorities cities outside of London it is crucial that Portsmouth has a robust policy framework public health work together with planning across planning and public health including to ensure good quality housing with access addressing healthy weight/obesity. PCS14 of to lots of green space for our residents to the Portsmouth Plan, for example, sets out give them healthier, longer lives.” council action to reducing obesity levels in the Janet Maxwell, Director of Public Health city and improving physical and mental health by increasing the opportunities for formal The workshop with Portsmouth City Council and informal exercise through providing on Friday 13 March was chaired by its open space, play, recreation and sport and Director of Public Health, Janet Maxwell, and leisure facilities and making it easier to walk attended by officers from across the council. and cycle in Portsmouth, supplemented Outside London, Portsmouth is one of the by monitoring indicators. Officers should most densely populated council areas in be aware of the following relevant policy England, and like London it has opportunities framework: to promote the ‘compact city’ development approach to maximise active travel and Portsmouth Plan, Portsmouth Healthy access to quality open spaces. adopted Weight Strategy Practice: Local learning January 2012 2014-2024 Portsmouth has been developing its own • PCS13 A Greener 1. Make healthy capacity through various topic-based Portsmouth weight a priority for all seminars – this workshop was the final in the • PCS14 A Healthy series. Previous seminars included topics on City 2. Tackle the planning and health, transport and health, obesogenic and sustainability and health. It is clear • PCS17 Transport environment there is a good working relationship and • PCS18 local shops understanding between public health and and services 3. Invest in planning, as well as transport. prevention • PCS23 design and The use of a retail development with a conservation housing development as the example for the Contact workshop provided interesting opportunities Andrea Wright Public Health Development Manager to consider how to promote healthy weight (Healthy Weight) through a range of typical development types. The retail development was proposed next to a football stadium which targeted a different type of community to a residential development. Discussions focused on whether behavioural change of football fans on match days could be encouraged by closer working with the retailer on healthier food choices and improving sustainable transport links.

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 27 Newcastle City Council

“The TCPA workshop has enabled us to obesity as part of promoting wellbeing across review the links between planning and the life course. Officers should be aware of our wider public health priorities in the the following relevant policy framework: context of two major developments in the city. The outcomes of the workshop have Gateshead and Newcastle our enabled us to identify key areas where Newcastle core wellbeing for life we can maximise joint working between strategy and urban strategy planning and public health.” core plan, adopted Eugene Milne, Director of Public Health March 2015 • CS13 Transport Tackling inequalities

through improving Practice: Local learning • CS14 Wellbeing the conditions in The Newcastle City Council workshop took and health place on 16 March and was chaired by its which people are • CS15 Place- Director of Public Health, Eugene Milne. The born, grow up, live making workshop was well attended by development their lives and grow management officers, who are the key • CS18 Green old people dealing with planning applications. infrastructure • a working city Newcastle’s local plan was adopted a few and the natural days after the workshop and so planning environment • decent policies were already set and will not be neighbourhoods – • UC5 Primary the physical focus reviewed for several years. Consequently, and secondary the most effective way to maximise health pedestrian routes • decent promotion will be to focus efforts on neighbourhoods development management officers. • UC6 Cycling – the people and • UC12 Urban social focus The development examples accounted for 25 design per cent of the overall housing need in the city. There seemed a real need to engage the • UC16 Public health and wellbeing board and local CCG/ realm NHS in the community development process of facilities but also population interventions. Contact Craig Blundred Newcastle City Council benefits from hosting Consultant in Public Health the UK Healthy Cities Network, a global movement supported by WHO that engages councils in health development through a process of political commitment, institutional change, capacity-building, partnership-based planning and innovative projects.

Policy: Local priorities Newcastle has a strong policy framework for health and wellbeing. Policy CS14 requires development to contribute to creating an age-friendly, healthy and equitable living environment, promote allotments and gardens for exercise, recreation and for healthy locally produced food, and control the location of, and access to, unhealthy eating outlets. Its health and wellbeing strategy addresses

28 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development Greater Manchester Public Health Network

“Initiatives to improve lifestyles for Using the Fruit Route as the example, children and adults, in particular those Oldham demonstrated the collaboration relating to physical activity and healthy between the public health and environmental eating are important for reducing obesity. services teams to maximise the use of the Equally as important is the longer-term council’s extensive green space assets for systematic and strategic actions which community development, business and skills are needed regarding the nature of and active transport aims. the environment in which local people While councils across Greater Manchester work live, ie access to safe and desirable jointly together under the statutory umbrella opportunities for physical activity, the of the Association of Greater Manchester nature and availability of healthy foods, Authorities, both town planning and public and food advertising. This workshop health responsibilities remain devolved and aims to improve future collaborations implemented by each unitary council. The between planning, green space and public councils have been working together since health departments to create healthy 2014 to develop a statutory joint development environments in Greater Manchester.” plan document on housing and land supply. The Alan Higgins, Director of Public Health, health leads are now collaborating to explore Oldham Council integrating health evidence within the emerging Greater Manchester Spatial Framework. The TCPA held a workshop in Alexandra Park, Oldham, on 11 June in collaboration Policy: Local priorities with the Greater Manchester Public Health As part of the work, the local plan policies Network (GMPHN). Chaired by Alan Higgins, of each of the 10 councils within Greater Oldham’s Director of Public Health, a Manchester were reviewed for links to health. workshop objective was to make a step- For Oldham, its local plan included a range change in improving links between planning of policies from green infrastructure to open and public health across Greater Manchester spaces and sports. councils, following an event in June 2014 about ‘Designing-in good health’. An outcome Joint core strategy Health and is to improve future collaborations between and development wellbeing strategy, planning and public health departments management 2013-16 to create healthy environments in Greater policies (adopted Manchester. 2011) Practice: Local learning • Policy 5: • Giving every child The workshop was held near one of the many Promoting the best start in community food growing hubs along the accessibility life and sustainable Oldham ‘Fruit Route’. The Fruit Route runs • Living, learning transport choices along and nearby redundant railway lines. and working well It is a good example of combining both a • Policy 6: Green • Ageing well and Infrastructure series of physical ‘hard’ developments and later life. ‘softer’ community-based initiatives aimed • Policy 20: Design to increase participation and education • Healthy weight, around access to healthy food growing, • Policy 23: Open healthy lives spaces and for children in increasing physical activity and strengthening sports Oldham 2010-15 community cohesion. The workshop focused on the Fruit Route as a place-based example for cross-disciplinary discussions. Contact Mark Brown Sector Led Improvement Programme Manager

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 29 Public Health England South East

“We were pleased to collaborate with participants to experience the environment Wokingham Borough Council to facilitate before the discussions later that afternoon. In this excellent event and are grateful practice, planning officers usually do not have to Wokingham for showcasing a local the opportunity to visit sites and work from development where clear links have masterplans and drawings to assess proposals. already been made between planning and Discussing the developments allowed the new public health responsibilities. participants to consider health issues in We also thank South Oxfordshire and the context of a place and to realise the Vale of White Horse district councils for importance of integrated monitoring to providing a local planning case-study for demonstrate healthy weight outcomes from participants to review. PHE South East developments. recognises the importance of being able to link evidence into practice; this work is the Policy: Local priorities beginning of that process.” Officers should be aware of the following relevant policy framework: Angela Baker, Deputy Director, Health and Wellbeing, Public Health England, South East Wokingham core Wokingham health strategy, adopted and wellbeing PHE South East convened a full day workshop 2010 strategy 2014-17 on 14 July following a successful event called ‘What’s public health got to offer planning and • CP1 – Sustainable Theme: building what can planning do for public health?’ that development health and wellbeing into new had been held in February. The aim of the • CP2 – Inclusive communities workshop was to bring together local authority communities teams to work collaboratively to challenge • CP3 – General Oxfordshire obesogenic environments and encourage principles for joint health and active travel. During the morning Sustrans ran a development wellbeing strategy session called, ‘Creating environments for active 2012-16 travel’ while the afternoon focused on planning • CP6 – Managing healthy weight environments. The workshop travel demand Priority 9: Preventing included a walking visit of the Montague Park chronic disease Vale of White development which was used as one of the through tackling Horse local plan examples in the healthy weight discussions. It obesity (in examination) was attended by officers from across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire covered by • Policy 33: PHE’s South East regional centre. Promoting sustainable Practice: Local learning transport and The south east of England is experiencing accessibility significant development with a combination of town regeneration but also sustainable • Policy 35: major urban extensions. The redevelopment Promoting public of Didcot A Power Station into housing will transport, cycling contribute to meeting Oxfordshire’s housing and walking need. Once completed, Montague Park • Policy 45: Green will account for 5 per cent of Wokingham’s infrastructure local housing needs and includes a ‘suitable alternative natural greenspace’ Contact Angela Baker (SANG). Having a walking visit around the Deputy Director, Health and Wellbeing, nearly completed development allowed Public Health England South East

30 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development Warwickshire County Council

“The event was an excellent opportunity their new local plans, and help to deliver on to showcase the great partnership work the health and wellbeing strategy’s priority on which is taking place across Warwickshire integration and working together. to address the healthy weight agenda.” Policy: Local priorities Councillor Les Caborn, District and borough local plans have strong Portfolio Holder for Health links to the local transport plan with its various strategies on walking, cycling, air quality and Warwickshire County Council held its accessibility. Officers should be aware of the workshop on 16 July in Stoneleigh with following relevant policy framework: introductions by Dr John Linnane, Director of Public Health and Councillor Bob Stevens, North Health and Chair of Warwickshire County Council. The Warwickshire wellbeing strategy event was attended by participants from the Borough Council 2014-18 county council, each of the five district and core strategy borough councils as well as neighbouring (adopted Priority 3 – authorities. The aim of the workshop was to October 2014) Integration and support further understanding of the integral working together links between planning and health, with Nuneaton and Improve improvements to communication, coordination Bedworth Borough partnerships across and consideration of healthy planning. local plan 2006 (new local plan in the wider social Practice: Local learning progress) determinants of The county has committed to commissioning health health impact assessments (HIA) on each Rugby Borough of the districts’ and boroughs’ core strategies Council core or strategic site allocation plans, or any strategy (June emerging neighbourhood plans. The HIAs 2011) (new local provide an opportunity to identify potential plan in progress) health impacts, both beneficial and adverse, which may impact on local communities. One Stratford District of the key achievements of a recent HIA was Council local plan that a borough council included a draft policy 2006 (new local plan limiting the number of hot food takeaways in progress) (A5) within a 400m boundary of secondary Warwick District schools. Council local plan The county has produced two key documents: 2007 (new Local ‘Public health evidence for planning Plan in progress) and developers’, and, ‘Neighbourhood Local transport development planning for health’. These plan (LTP3) 2011-26 provide public health guidance and evidence to support the development of healthy, active communities through the planning process. Contact Public Health Warwickshire recently Eva Neale Senior Health Planner – appointed two ‘health-planner’ posts to work Public Health/Infrastructure jointly across health, infrastructure, and planning. This increased internal capacity will help support its current engagement with the districts and boroughs as they bring forward

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 31 Norfolk County Council

“This was a great opportunity for us to dwellings be designed to Lifetime Homes consider the ways that the quality and standard. design of new development housing can Policy: Local priorities impact on the future health and wellbeing Norfolk has a proactive obesity action plan of individuals and communities. By with a key outcome, to ‘Make the most of working together we can find ways to potential of planning system to create a promote healthy active lifestyles and healthier built environment’. A ‘task-and-finish’ contribute to reducing obesity.” group with representation including clinical Dr SJ Louise Smith, Director Public Health commissioning group commissioners, key county and district council partners and Norfolk County Council’s workshop was held the county sports partnership is currently on 21 July and began with a joint introduction developing a county-wide healthy weight by Lucy Macleod, Interim Director of Public strategy based on the findings and issues Health, and Tracy Jessop, Assistant Director from ‘Tackling obesity – a health needs of Highways and Transport. Attendees from assessment for Norfolk’. across the county participated with the aim to create an environment in which planning, In an area of high growth potential, the county travel and health can collaborate to agree a and district councils are aiming to embed way forward to create healthy weight places health and wellbeing considerations into and plans. development schemes. Officers should be aware of the following policy framework: Practice: Local learning The Greater Norwich Growth Board (previously the Greater Norwich Development Joint core strategy Norfolk health and Partnership) has developed a ‘Health for Broadland, wellbeing strategy Norwich and South impact advice note’ (January 2012) aimed • Priority: Reducing Norfolk (adopted primarily at developers and planners in the obesity local planning authority areas of Broadland, 2011) Norwich and South Norfolk. Its purpose is to • Action plan for North Norfolk core obesity assist in implementation of the health impact strategy (updated assessments required by Policy 7 of the joint 2011) South Norfolk core strategy dealing with health issues. health and Factors such as accessibility, connectivity Great Yarmouth wellbeing strategy and food access are suggested for core strategy 2014-17 consideration in assessments. Other councils (examination) will be reviewing the opportunity to make this • Reduce King’s Lynn & requirement across Norfolk. childhood obesity West Norfolk core Two residential-led developments from strategy, (adopted Broadland and Norwich were discussed 2011) and because of the HIA requirement, both Breckland core schemes included a HIA from the developers. strategy and The HIA for the Beeston Park development in development Broadland focused on the impact on health of control policies land-use mix, proposed development design, (adopted access to employment, play space and food 2009) access, and included a summary evidence base on obesity. The HIA for the Three Contact Nick Clarke Scores development in Norwich resulted in Locality Development Manager, Public Health a recommendation that 10 per cent of the

32 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development London Borough of Hackney

“Our workshop helped recognise the Policy: Local priorities contribution planning is already making Hackney has a strong integrated planning to public health, further built relationships and health policy framework with the added between teams in the council who share weight of the London Plan. In presenting the same goals, and identified practical the local planning context, Ian Rae, Head of ways for us to work together in the future Planning, noted that consideration of health to enhance our contributions to improving and wellbeing matters is integrated in many health through the planning process.” planning policies, with a specific policy CS12 ‘Health and environment’ which encourages Councillor Jonathan McShane, development that enables a more healthy Cabinet Member for Public Health, Social and active lifestyle and contributes to tackling Care and Culture childhood obesity. Development management Hackney held its workshop on 27 July at policy DM3 ‘Promoting health and wellbeing’ the West Reservoir Centre in East London. requires a health impact assessment (HIA) for With opening remarks by Councillor Jonathan major schemes of 10 dwellings or more, or McShane, Cabinet Member for Public Health, 1000sq m or more for all other uses. Social Care and Culture, and Councillor Guy Nicholson, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Core strategy London Borough officers from public health, transport, planning (adopted 2010) of Hackney health and housing participated in the workshop with • Policy CS6: and wellbeing discussions focused on two local residential Transport and strategy developments. land use Priority 1. Improving Practice: Local learning • Policy CS12: the health of There is strong political and senior level Health and children and support for planning and public health environment young people, in cooperation and working relationships across particular tackling key areas such as parks, leisure, transport • Policy CS24: childhood obesity and public health. Planning for health is Design and working with addressed through policies in the recently Development pregnant mothers adopted development management local plan. management local and children under Conversations have begun with development plan (adopted five years old. policy and development management 2015) colleagues regarding defining practical ways to Achieving a • DM3 – Promoting further embed public health into the planning healthy weight for health and process. One important aspect is to ensure all in Hackney and wellbeing clarity on roles in health infrastructure planning, the City, 2010-2018 given the changes since public health moved • DM12 – Hot-food into local government. Hackney has the strong take-aways and support of the Public Health Intelligence team, schools who have committed to provide planners with • DM33 – evidence they need to as part of the process Allotments and of formulating policies and determining food growing planning applications. A discussion on key actions to take forward resulted in suggestions • DM47 – Walking for gathering evidence, writing/reviewing and cycling policies, supporting neighbourhood planning and community engagement, assessing Contact Damani Goldstein development proposals, monitoring delivery Senior Public Health Strategist and coordination.

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 33 London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames

“The places where we live and work influence the automatic processes which Policy: Local priorities Policy CP17 states that health and well-being embed health behaviours into our day- is important and all new development should to-day lives. Planning an environment for encourage and promote healthier communities health is critical for prevention of ill health and places. There is an emerging opportunity and the promotion of positive emotional with a local plan review in progress and and mental wellbeing in our borough”. this would be the time for public health to Dr Dagmar Zeuner, engage with the process, put forward relevant Director of Public Health evidence to assist with policy development Dr Dagmar Zeuner, Director of Public and identify whether specific policies such as Health for Richmond, opened the workshop takeaway restrictions are needed. on 1 September. It was attended by There is an emphasis on community- officers from planning policy, development led planning through the village plans management, public health, transport, (neighbourhood plans). There is a real parks, housing, economic development and opportunity here for the village plans to community links, along with PHE London. have strong health/ obesity focused policies The focus was to understand the inclusion of and objectives. health considerations in existing approaches to planning in Richmond and to identify where Core strategy London Borough the gaps are against each of the six planning (adopted 2009) of Richmond-upon- healthy weight environments elements. Thames health and • CP5 Sustainable wellbeing strategy Practice: Local learning travel Richmond officers are aware of many of 2013-16 the approaches that should be taken in • CP13 Three strategic creating healthy weight environments and Opportunities aims: recognise that focusing further interventions for all on ‘place’ is key to the solution. There • CP17 Health and 1. Giving children is a need to provide the right physical wellbeing a good start. environment and opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating. The Stag Brewery Development 2. Increasing the redevelopment will create a new community management plan independence and provide significant new housing, and the (adopted 2011) of older people Richmond Education and Enterprise Campus with long term • DM OS 6 Public conditions. development will provide capacity for open space, thousands of new students. These examples 3. Reducing • DM OS 7 provide significant opportunities to influence hidden harms Children’s and people’s health and wellbeing. and threats to young people’s health. Public health is currently consulted on key play facilities applications such as any school/ education • DM TP 6 Priorities for 2013- proposals resulting in an increase in pupil Walking and 2016: joined up numbers; developments involving significant the pedestrian services and changes to use of a health service; and any environment. prevention. schemes with an increase of 10 housing units. There is also a policy requirement for a health impact assessment to be submitted Contact Planning Policy Officer for all major applications. Yvette Ralston Lucy Gate Public Health Lead

34 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development Northamptonshire County Council

“Planning is an important tool in achieving time, making sure public health are health and wellbeing in our county. We re-engaged in the planning applications need to design healthier lifestyles into process for significant development our new developments as much as happening across the county. possible, to give our communities the best Policy: Local priorities opportunities to live active, healthy and happy lives.” North ‘In Everyone’s Northamptonshire Interest’, Dr Akeem Ali, Director of Public Health joint planning unit, Northamptonshire A joint presentation by Dr Akeem Ali, joint core strategy health and Director of Public Health and Wellbeing of 2011-2031 (in wellbeing strategy Northamptonshire County Council, and Simon examination) Strategic outcome: Bovey, Daventry District Council Deputy Chief • Policy 8 – North people have Executive and Chair of the Northamptonshire Northamptonshire healthier lifestyles Chief Planning Officers’ group, opened the place-shaping and exert greater workshop held on 3 September at County Hall. principles control over their Officers from across the county participated health and wellbeing in the workshop together with the local clinical • Policy 15 – Well- commissioning group and NHS foundation connected towns, Priority 2: reducing trust. The aim was to enhance the contribution villages and levels of childhood of planning processes and decisions to health neighbourhoods obesity and wellbeing outcomes in Northamptonshire • Policy 19 – The Measure for this through supporting the achievement of healthy delivery of green priority: by 2016, no environments in new developments. infrastructure more than 15 per Practice: Local learning West cent of children in Northamptonshire has established Northamptonshire year six are obese joint planning arrangements across joint planning unit, its districts. Daventry District Council, joint core strategy Northampton Borough Council and South (adopted 2014) Northamptonshire Council have formed a statutory planning partnership to develop a • C1 – Changing joint local plan which was adopted in 2014. behaviour and Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and East achieving modal Northamptonshire councils have also formed shift a statutory planning partnership and are • C2 – New currently working to replace their adopted developments core spatial strategy with a new local plan. In both units, elected members from each • BN1 – Green district and from the county are represented. infrastructure Public health can engage with these connections formal structures to influence further policy • RC1 – Delivering development on health and wellbeing. community regeneration The county council recently underwent restructuring and is re-discovering the relationship between planning and public Contact Stephen Marks health. Therefore sharing good practice and Service Development Relationship raising awareness and knowledge were key Manager (Place) objectives of the workshop while at the same Public Health and Wellbeing

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 35 Nottinghamshire County Council

“This event was the start of the Policy: Local priorities Nottinghamshire Health and Wellbeing Under the health and wellbeing strategy Board’s ambition to ensure that the priority to ‘reduce the number of people who full potential of the planning system is are overweight and obese’ there is an action to captured to shape the natural and built develop a spatial planning policy framework to environment. Our aim is to have healthier improve public health. There are opportunities environments that improve health through with two districts developing new local plans green spaces, housing, transport, our high but others have health-relevant policies which streets and town centres as well as health are worth highlighting. For example while the and wellbeing infrastructure that will best Rushcliffe core strategy policy 12 on ‘local meet the needs of our population.” services and healthy lifestyles’ focuses on healthcare and community facilities, its targets Councillor Joyce Bosnjak, Chair, Health and indicators seek to monitor improvements and Wellbeing Board and Public Health. to health and wellbeing. Councillor Joyce Bosnjak, Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board and the Public • Rushcliffe core • Nottinghamshire Health Committee, opened the workshop at strategy (adopted health and County Hall on 1 October. It was attended by 2014) wellbeing strategy 2014-17 officers including representatives from the • Greater seven district/borough councils and some Nottingham – • Living well – clinical commissioning groups. The aim of Broxtowe, Gedling reduce the the workshop was to ensure that participants and Nottingham number of understood how to capture the potential City aligned core people who are of the planning system to promote healthy strategy (adopted overweight and communities and ensure that the healthcare 2014) obese infrastructure requirements met the population needs, therefore reducing health • Ashfield adopted inequalities. local plan 2002 • Newark and Practice: Local learning The local ‘Obesity Integrated Commissioning Sherwood Group’ has set out a framework and action core strategy, plan with priorities to ensure that planning (adopted 2011) supports and encourages physical activity; and Allocations access to affordable healthy food; tackles and development the obesity promoting environment; and management increases healthier food choices in out-of- DPD, (adopted home provision such as fast-food outlets. 2013) • Mansfield district The developments chosen reflect the high local plan 1998 growth potential across the county in meeting housing needs. Melton Road in Rushcliffe • Bassetlaw core will meet 9 per cent of the district’s overall strategy and housing need while the Berry Hill scheme in development Mansfield will meet 16 per cent. They depict management the challenges of planning health between policies, (adopted urban and rural areas and the different 2011) solutions needed to avoid a one-size-fits-all. Contact Anne Pridgeon Senior Public Health Manager

36 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland City and Northumberland County councils

“We are all concerned about the growing sustainable transport through initiatives levels of obesity in our communities. such as ‘Go Smarter Northumberland’; a A shared agenda and collaborative town-mapping project with Sustrans; and approaches are required to tackle the neighbourhood plans. A demonstration site complexity of the obesogenic environment was chosen at Cramlington West in a major in which we live. This event provided an growth area by the board to pilot ideas such excellent forum for sharing ideas about as improved signage, and the way-marking of how to work more effectively across existing walking and cycling routes. different sectors and in particular with In Sunderland, the council is working with planning departments to promote healthy Sustrans to promote active travel, financial weight environments.” support for parks, and the ‘Washington Way Wendy Burke, Acting Director of Public to Wellbeing’ initiative to improve wellbeing Health, North Tyneside Council. and create healthy resilient communities.

A workshop was jointly commissioned by Policy: Local priorities four north east councils and coordinated Of the councils, only South Tyneside by PHE’s north east centre. Held on 7 Council has a full set of adopted local plan October and hosted by Wendy Burke, Acting documents, including policies to address the Director of Public Health of North Tyneside over-concentration of hot-food outlets within its Council, it was attended by officers from shopping centres. There is an opportunity for four councils representing planning, public public health and other services in all councils health, environmental health, transport, parks to be actively involved in contributing to the and licensing. The workshop provided the evidence base for the emerging local plans so opportunity for council public health teams to that they better reflect healthy weight priorities present their health challenges and current in the health and wellbeing strategies. initiatives to tackle obesity and the wider determinants of health. • North Tyneside • North Tyneside local plan draft joint health and Practice: Local learning North Tyneside is promoting healthy weight 2015 wellbeing strategy 2013-23 through planning by: health-proofing the local • Northumberland plan; developing a hot food takeaway policy; core strategy • Northumberland promoting two initiatives called ‘Grow and eat’ submission draft achieving health and ‘Active north Tyneside’; increased use and wellbeing in • South Tyneside of parks and waggonways; and active travel Northumberland, core strategy opportunities that prioritise pedestrians. April 2014 June 2007 and South Tyneside Council presented its development • South Tyneside evidence report on hot-food takeaways and management our better health obesity in South Tyneside. Published in 2014, policies 2011 and wellbeing strategy 2013-16 it looked at the prevalence of hot-food outlets • Sunderland core in relation to obesity and deprivation levels, strategy (revised • Sunderland health and mapped this using environmental health, preferred options) and wellbeing public health and planning data. As a result strategy the health and wellbeing board has approved actions in the emerging new local plan and Contact other regulatory and educational activities. Denise Orange Health Improvement Support Manager Through the Northumberland Walking and Public Health England North East Cycling Board, the Council is encouraging

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 37 London Borough of Haringey

“The transition of public health to local The local plan also seeks to promote active authorities has provided an exciting and healthy lifestyles, such as by encouraging opportunity to achieve a step-change modal shift to more sustainable transport in improving the health of Haringey’s options (including walking and cycling) as population. By embedding ‘health in all well as improving the quality of, and access policies’ across all of Haringey Council’s to, parks and open spaces. functions we can create a health enhancing Tottenham is experiencing major regeneration environment where the healthier choice is and the High Road West area is likely to be the easy choice”. part of this. As it is close to White Hart Lane, Councillor Peter Morton, Cabinet Member the Tottenham Hotspur football stadium, a for Health and Wellbeing, focus on sport is likely. Workshop participants London Borough of Haringey were taken on a walking tour of the area and saw challenges such as access, car The TCPA held a workshop at The Grange parking and the food offered by local shops. Community Hub on 9 October in collaboration An evaluation framework will help to monitor with the London Borough of Haringey with progress of health indicators. introductions by Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, Councillor Peter Morton, and Policy: Local priorities Director of Public Health, Jeanelle de Gruchy, Haringey has effectively integrated its and closing remarks by Councillor Ali Demirci, planning and health policies. Policy Cabinet member for Planning. The aim of the integration is supported by initiatives to show workshop was to bring officers from across how a whole-system approach to reducing the council to challenge the obesogenic obesity can be implemented. environment and to support the delivery of a whole-systems approach to tackling obesity. Local plan: Haringey health Practice: Local learning strategic policies and wellbeing As part of its efforts to tackle obesity and 2013-2026 strategy 2015-18 (adopted 2013) co-produce solutions, Haringey has formed Priority 1: Haringey Obesity Alliance. This brings • SP14 Health and Reducing obesity. together a range of organisations from across wellbeing the statutory and voluntary sectors who have Create a healthy pledged to help make Haringey a healthier • SP7 Transport environment – the way we use the place where fewer people are obese. Each Local plan: planning system member of the Alliance has pledged an development to design our action to help tackle the obesity crisis. management built environment policies (preferred The borough’s current emphasis on improving influences the health option) access to healthy food has resulted in, firstly, outcomes a draft development management local • Policy DM56 Hot- of residents plan policy to ban new hot-food takeaways food takeaways from opening within 400m of primary and secondary schools, and secondly, the • Policy DM20 ‘chicken town’ initiative to offer a healthier Open space and alternative to the poor quality food offered green grid by many local hot-food takeaways. The hot- food takeaway policy is part of a package of Contact Deborah Millward measures to address the clustering of uses Healthy Public Policy Officer where these would have adverse impacts on public health and town centre vitality.

38 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development Royal Borough of Greenwich

“A great opportunity to build on the Policy: Local priorities previous work of both planning and public With the support of the London Plan, health in the Borough, and to start to move Greenwich has a strong integrated planning this forward using real life examples.” and public health policy on health and the built environment. One of its priorities in the Councillor Denise Scott-McDonald, health and wellbeing strategy is tackling Cabinet Member for Community obesity through changing and developing Wellbeing and Public Health environments to support good mental and The final workshop, with the Royal Borough physical health. Its core strategy policy of Greenwich, was held on 27 October CH2 on healthy communities states, ‘All and opened by Councillor Denise Scott- development must allow and enable residents McDonald, Cabinet Member for Community to lead more healthy and active lifestyles’. Its Wellbeing and Public Health, who also sits hot-food take-aways policy seeks to tackle on the Planning Committee. It was attended the proliferation of A5 uses from a different by officers from planning, transport, food, perspective of clustering, amenity and parks, public health and regeneration, and frontages. the Greater London Authority. The workshop aimed to improve the impact that public Royal Greenwich Greenwich health health has on the planning process. Closing local plan: core and wellbeing remarks were made by Councillor Danny strategy with strategy 2015-18 Thorpe, Cabinet Member for Regeneration. detailed policies, Priority i) Good adopted July 2014 Practice: Local learning physical health The workshop was planned and coordinated • Policy H(e) – with a focus on jointly between Greenwich’s planning policy Children’s play tackling obesity and public health teams. They saw it as, areas ‘just one measure that will help to start to • Policy TC(c) Hot- get planning playing its part in turning the food takeaways tide on the current obesity epidemic’. They are considering developing a ‘healthy urban • Policy CH2 planning framework’ to include a protocol Healthy about which planning applications should communities require a health impact assessment. This will • Policy IM4 be supplemented by initiatives on healthy Sustainable catering and active travel. travel Woolwich is an ‘opportunity area’ identified in the London Plan with brownfield sites available Contacts to accommodate significant development, with Aideen Silke access to existing or potential public transport Senior Health Improvement Specialist networks. The Royal Arsenal site will be a (Determinants) flagship development accommodating more Holly Weir than 3,500 new homes with commercial and Assistant Planning Policy Manager retail units and public open space. Although a masterplan has already been approved and some planning applications already decided, there is scope to consider and monitor the implementation of requirements such as travel plans, the design and use of public areas, and fast-food outlets.

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 39 5. Key references

Government Office for Science. 2007. Tackling obesities: future choices – project report (2nd edition). London. Government Office for Science,www.gov.uk/government/ publications/reducing-obesity-future-choices

Public Health England. 2014, Everybody active, every day: an evidence-based approach to physical activity. London. Public Health England. www.gov.uk/ government/publications/everybody-active- every-day-a-framework-to-embed-physical- activity-into-daily-life

NHS England. 2015. Healthy new towns programme prospectus. NHS England. www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/innovation/ healthy-new-towns

Sport England and Public Health England. 2015. Active design: planning for health and wellbeing through sport and physical activity. London. Sport England and Public Health England. www.sportengland.org/ facilities-planning/planning-for-sport/planning- tools-and-guidance/active-design

Ross, A and Chang, M. 2014, Planning healthy weight environments – a TCPA reuniting health with planning project. London. TCPA. www.tcpa.org.uk/pages/ planning-out-obesity-2014.html

TCPA, 2015. Public health in planning – a good practice guide. London. TCPA for London Borough of Merton and the London Healthy High Streets Group, www.tcpa.org.uk/ pages/best-practice-in-planning-and-public- health-in-london-2015.html

40 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development Annex 1. Six planning healthy weight environments elements

The six elements provide a useful starting • shops/ food markets sell a diverse offer point for highlighting and negotiating specific of food choices and are easy to get to. issues in discussions between developers, D. Neighbourhood spaces: policy and development management planners, public health officers and others • community and healthcare facilities involved in the process. provided early as part of new development A. Movement and access: • services and facilities co-located within • clearly signposted and direct buildings where feasible walking and cycling networks • public spaces are attractive, easy to get • safe and accessible networks and to and designed for variety of uses. public realm for all E. Buildings: • well-designed buildings with passive • surveillance dwellings have adequate internal spaces for bike storage, dining and kitchen • walking prioritised over motor vehicles, facilities and vehicle speed managed • development includes adequate private/ • area-wide walking and cycling semi-private outdoor space per dwelling infrastructure provided • car parking spaces are minimised across • use and monitoring of travel plans. the development B. Open spaces, play and recreation: • development includes a travel plan that • planned network of multi-functional promotes sustainable transport. green/ blue spaces to achieve multiple F. Local economy: benefits • development enhances vitality of local • Easy to get to natural green spaces centre through providing more diverse of different sizes from dwellings retail and food offer • Safe and easy to get to play spaces • centres and places of employment are for all with passive surveillance easy to get to by public transport, and • Sports and leisure facilities designed on walking and cycling networks and maintained for everyone to use. • facilities provided by people who are C. Food environment: walking and cycling to local centres and high streets, such as benches, toilets • development maintains or enhances and secure bike storage. existing opportunities for food growing Source: ‘Planning healthy weight • avoid over-concentration of hot food environments’, TCPA 2014 takeaways (A5 use) and restricts proximity to schools or other facilities aimed at children, young and vulnerable people

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 41 Annex 2. Snapshot of workshop places

Workshop Discussion groups (45 minutes) Facilitated small group discussions on agenda structure the local development examples by the TCPA, supported by printed handouts, Welcome and introduction from the council (10 minutes) and structured on the six healthy weight [High level introduction from the cabinet environment elements using the following member for health/ planning or the director discussion questions: of public health/ head of planning] • What could have been better considered Overview and context-setting (improvements or alternatives) by planning presentations (30-45 minutes) and public health through the planning • Overview of TCPA project, ‘Planning process? healthy weight environments’ and planning • What key learning points could be drawn to relevance: planning response [Context apply across the local authority or to other setting by the TCPA, summarising the role development proposals? and mechanisms of the planning system, introducing the 2014 publication with the • What one aspect would you improve/ six elements of planning healthy weight include in the proposal? environments with examples and outlining Feedback on key challenges and the purpose of the workshop.] opportunities (10 minutes) • Overview of the local health challenges [Feedback session from each small and priorities: public health response group discussion.]

[Summarising local obesity and health Facilitated group local action planning challenges, introducing the priorities on on planning healthy weight (30 minutes) [Facilitated small group discussions by planning for health and reducing obesity the TCPA on key actions for the Council to in the JHWS and highlighting existing undertake after the Workshop to deliver step collaborative initiatives with the planning change in policy or practice based on local department.] challenges/ priorities.] Brief background to the discussion groups (20 minutes) Workshop end and completion [Introducing the workshop discussion session of evaluation forms (10 minutes) and objectives by the TCPA, and summary presentations of local development examples from the council.]

Coffee break and networking (15 minutes)

42 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development Summary of local • Large scale development at Beeston Park: 3,520 homes with commercial units, development examples two primary schools, hotel development, discussed during allotments and extensive parkland. the workshops London Borough of Hackney • Infill development at Stamford Hill: Wakefield, Yorkshire and Humber 80 homes, retail and business units. • Sustainable urban extension at City Fields: Mixed use regeneration scheme of 2,500 • Infill development at Green Lanes: 109 homes, Wakefield Eastern Relief Road, a homes with a new pedestrian and cycle link. new school, canal-side walks, retail and London Borough of Richmond a district centre. • Regeneration of the Stag Brewery: significant mixed use riverside development Portsmouth, South East of England • Retail development at Fratton: retail store • Education development: A new educational of up to 10,475sqm gross external area. campus and residential development of • Large-scale housing development at 180 homes. Drayton: 143 homes. Northamptonshire, East Midlands • Sustainable urban extension at Towcester: Newcastle, North East • Large-scale development at Scotswood: 2,750 homes, employment land and a local urban neighbourhood comprising up to centre, primary schools. 1800 new homes, a local shopping centre, • Educational development: 55,000m2 of a primary school and commercial premises. university floor space accommodating up • Large-scale development at Newcastle to 1,500 students. Great Park: 2,500 homes, town centre, Nottinghamshire, East Midlands school and nursery, and allotments. • Large scale development at Mansfield: 1,700 homes, employment space, local Greater Manchester Public Health Network • Oldham ‘Fruit Route’ including Alexandra centre and primary school. Park and Waterhead Park growing hubs. • Urban extension at Rushcliffe: 1,200 homes, business park, local centre, primary PHE South East • Large-scale development at Montague school and community park. Park, Wokingham: 650 homes North East with dementia extra-care housing, • Large scale development east of the A19: neighbourhood centre, school provision, 290 homes, community and commercial open space and allotments. space, and open space. • Mixed-use development at Didcot A Power • Mixed use development in Philadelphia: Station: 400 homes with commercial and 500 homes, local retail facilities and a retail units. foodstore.

Warwickshire, West Midlands London Borough of Haringey • Air quality and active transport: Warwick • Regeneration of High Road West: 1,200 and Leamington transport strategy homes, commercial, office and community (Warwick District Council). uses and open space. • Air quality and active transport: Warwick Royal Borough of Greenwich Street Gyratory, Rugby (Warwickshire • Regeneration at the Royal Arsenal: 3,711 County Council). homes, commercial units and a new Norfolk, East of England Waterfront Park. • Large scale development at Three Scores in Norwich: 1,000 homes, commercial units and care facility.

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 43 Snapshot of local population and health profiles

Child Adult Life General Income Child Adult obesity obesity expectancy health deprivation poverty physical activity %** % years %* % % %

Male Female England average 19.1 24.1 78.9 82.8 5.5 14.7 21.8 56 Wakefield 19.3 28.5 77.2 81.2 7.7 15.6 21.9 48.2 Newcastle 23.9 23.9 76.9 81.0 6.8 20.2 32.5 55.2 Portsmouth 20.4 23.8 77.9 82.5 5.0 15.2 26.5 51.1 Oldham 19.1 25.7 76.4 80.7 6.9 21.4 30.2 50.6 Manchester 23.8 21.1 74.3 79.2 7.1 25.8 43.4 57.8 Bolton 20.6 23.4 76.9 80.9 6.6 19.4 25.2 49.0 Bury 19.3 22.7 77.8 81.1 5.9 14.8 18.7 55.1 Rochdale 20.9 24.9 76.6 80.7 7.6 22.0 29.6 51.1 Salford 21.9 23.5 75.5 80.1 7.6 21.7 32.3 48.5 Stockport 17.4 22.0 79.1 82.8 5.6 12.1 15.8 55.3

Greater Manchester Greater Tameside 19.3 26.5 76.1 80.3 7.3 18.2 24.9 47.6 Trafford 17.6 21.4 79.4 83.5 5.2 12.3 16.1 55.9 Wigan 19.2 25.8 77.0 80.8 7.2 16.0 20.0 50.9 Wokingham 11.4 19.7 81.7 84.7 2.8 4.8 6.6 62.3 Oxfordshire 15.3 20.7 80.2 84.0 3.5 8.1 12.2 62.2 Warwickshire 16.7 25.5 79.4 83.5 4.9 10.2 13.9 58.2 Norfolk 18.8 24.8 79.7 83.6 5.6 13.0 18.3 57.2 Hackney 25.7 22.6 77.4 82.2 6.2 31.2 47.8 59.8 Richmond 11.7 14.9 81.5 85.8 3.2 7.6 10.5 66.4 Northamptonshire 17.3 24.6 78.8 82.5 4.6 11.3 16.3 56.2 Greenwich 24.8 22.6 77.7 82.0 5.4 22.3 36.3 54.3 Nottinghamshire 17.3 24.0 78.9 82.5 6.0 12.2 17.4 56.2 Haringey 22.9 20.1 78.7 83.9 5.7 27.0 45.3 58.5 North Tyneside 20.5 26.6 77.6 81.7 6.8 16.2 21.1 55.2 South Tyneside 23.2 27.4 76.6 81.0 8.3 21.3 27.8 52.6 Sunderland 22.4 28.6 76.5 80.7 8.6 20.0 26.3 48.9 Northumberland 18.3 27.3 78.8 82.2 6.3 13.3 18.5 51.9

44 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development Child Adult Life General Income Child Adult obesity obesity expectancy health deprivation poverty physical activity %** % years %* % % %

Source: Latest PHE Health Profiles and PHE Local Health data. Please consult and refer to your local council statistics in the JSNA or other sources. *General health bad or very bad **Obese – Y6 (aged 11)

Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development 45 Local plans and growth profiles This table provides an overview of the housing growth projections for each of the councils with the local developments used during workshops. It seeks to illustrate the scale of potential influence on the health and wellbeing of the population. The range of development examples used as the basis of discussions contributes a proportion to the overall housing growth (dwelling units) of each area as indicated in the third column, and in total forming 8 per cent or just over 25,000 new households of the combined housing requirements. Growth figures are obtained from current local plan numbers. The table also provides the status of current/ emerging local plan documents.

Local planning Growth over Local Year(s) of current local plan authority plan period: developments residential residential: units) units (% total) Wakefield 36,250 2,500 (7%) Core strategy (April 2009) Development policies (April 2009) Newcastle 17,000 4,300 (25%) Core strategy (March 2015) Portsmouth 11,484 143 (1%) Core strategy (January 2012) Wokingham 13,230 650 (5%) Core strategy (January 2010) South Oxfordshire 10,940 400 (1%) Core strategy (December 2012) Vale of White Horse 20,560 Local plan (Examination) Norwich 36,820 1,000 (3%) Joint core strategy (January 2014) South Norfolk NA Joint core strategy (January 2014) Broadland 3,520 (10%) Joint core strategy (January 2014) Hackney 11,745 189 (2%) Core strategy (December 2010) Development management plan (July 2015) Richmond 4,200 570 (14%) Core strategy (April 2009) Development management plan (Nov 2011) West 42,700 2,750 (6%) Joint core strategy (December 2014) Northamptonshire Rushcliffe 13,150 1,200 (9%) Core strategy (December 2014) Mansfield 10,600 1,700 (16%) Local plan 1998 Haringey 8,200 1,200 (15%) Strategic policies (March 2013) Development management policies (Preferred Options) North Tyneside 16,632 290 (2%) Local plan (Preferred Options) Sunderland 15,027 500 (3%) Unitary development plan (1998) Core strategy (Preferred Options) Greenwich 38,925 5,000 (13%) Core strategy (July 2014) TOTAL 307,463 25,912 housing units (8% of total housing growth requirements of councils as part of the workshop discussions)

Note: current as of 9 October 2015

46 Building the foundations: Tackling obesity through planning and development Local planning Growth over Local Year(s) of current local plan authority plan period: developments residential residential: units) units (% total) Wakefield 36,250 2,500 (7%) Core strategy (April 2009) Development policies (April 2009) Newcastle 17,000 4,300 (25%) Core strategy (March 2015) Portsmouth 11,484 143 (1%) Core strategy (January 2012) Wokingham 13,230 650 (5%) Core strategy (January 2010) South Oxfordshire 10,940 400 (1%) Core strategy (December 2012) Vale of White Horse 20,560 Local plan (Examination) Norwich 36,820 1,000 (3%) Joint core strategy (January 2014) South Norfolk NA Joint core strategy (January 2014) Broadland 3,520 (10%) Joint core strategy (January 2014) Hackney 11,745 189 (2%) Core strategy (December 2010) Development management plan (July 2015) Richmond 4,200 570 (14%) Core strategy (April 2009) Development management plan (Nov 2011) West 42,700 2,750 (6%) Joint core strategy (December 2014) Northamptonshire Rushcliffe 13,150 1,200 (9%) Core strategy (December 2014) Mansfield 10,600 1,700 (16%) Local plan 1998 Haringey 8,200 1,200 (15%) Strategic policies (March 2013) Development management policies (Preferred Options) North Tyneside 16,632 290 (2%) Local plan (Preferred Options) Sunderland 15,027 500 (3%) Unitary development plan (1998) Core strategy (Preferred Options) Greenwich 38,925 5,000 (13%) Core strategy (July 2014) TOTAL 307,463 25,912 housing units (8% of total housing growth requirements of councils as part of the workshop discussions)

Note: current as of 9 October 2015 Local Government Association Local Government House Smith Square London SW1P 3HZ

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