Spatial planning policy reform

Busy roads, lack of open space and where we shop for food are just a few examples of how the built environment influences our physical and mental health. Planning can positively affect the health of residents by managing development and securing investment for the public realm. For example, planning policies can include design requirements that ensure adequate insulation, ventilation and light in new homes. Developer obligations can be used to build infrastructure such as healthcare facilities, parks or cycling routes.

The Plan for Growth states that “the current planning system is holding back UK growth and jobs”.1 The Coalition Government sees the English planning system as ‘broken’ – bureaucratic, top-down and lacking in adopted plans.2

To address their assessment of the system, the Government has introduced significant reforms, including:

• the abolition of regional planning
• the introduction of neighbourhood planning
• a presumption in favour of sustainable development
• a duty to cooperate
• consolidated national planning policy.

These proposals are intended to promote growth and let local people influence how growth happens. They are set out in the Localism Bill and the forthcoming national planning policy framework.3-6

There are also changes to the NHS and public health that will affect planning. For example, the proposal for local authorities to lead on the joint strategic needs assessment through a statutory health and well-being board.

Evidence of possible benefits

Academic research on spatial planning has not focussed on evaluating the impact of national planning policies. Therefore, there is a lack of evidence to show that the Coalition Government’s proposed reforms will achieve their objectives for jobs, growth and sustainable development.

There is significant evidence on the effect that spatial planning has on community health and well-being.7-9 Researchers have described this relationship and offered model spatial planning policies to address local health inequalities and social exclusion.10 Some local authorities have adopted planning policies to promote the health and well-being of residents through development management.

Evidence of possible risks

The Government’s own impact assessment of the Localism Bill11 is a starting point to identify risks from some of the reforms. Professional planning bodies and academics have analysed the proposals and raised significant concerns, but more research is required to produce an evidence base of risks.12-16 Some organisations fear that devolving planning decisions will hinder development rather than support it.17 Others are concerned about the weight given to environmental and social sustainability in a system that prioritises economic development through the new presumption in favour of sustainable development.18

The implications for health & well-being

Through localism, residents will have a greater say over what they want for their area. This could mean that residents are able to identify gaps in local health-related infrastructure, resulting in a stronger evidence base for planning policies to address health and well-being.

Conversely, the financial incentives for growth set out in the Localism Bill could result in increased development that fails to adequately meet sustainability requirements, resulting in long-term negative impacts for health.

Changes to primary care trusts and the joint strategic needs assessment may result in local planning authorities having a better understanding of the local requirements for health and well-being. This and other reforms to public health could result in better collaboration between planners and health professionals, increased accountability and informed decision making.19

Author: Helen Pineo, Consultant, Planning Advisory Service