Planning for Healthy Urban Communities in Australia – The Healthy Places and Spaces Project

1. Planning for Healthy Urban Communities in Australia – The Healthy Places and Spaces Project

2. Outline • Planning Context • Current health status of Australians • Strategic planning and health • The Healthy Spaces and Places Project • Local planning and design for health • Challenges • Conclusion

3. Urban planning - Australian context • 21 Million People; 85% live in cities, mainly along eastern & SE coastline • Three tiers of government – Federal, State/Territory and Local • Planning Challenges: • Ageing Population • Housing Affordability • Climate Change • Infrastructure

4. Australian suburban environments • Car oriented • Poor public transport and links to public transport • Concerns about safety • Poor public space • Poor access to fresh food

5. Health of Australians • Epidemic of chronic diseases - cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, diabetes, cancer • Obesity rates doubled in Australia since 1985 • 18% of Australian adults obese (2002) - double the rate of 1989 • 13,000 deaths per year in Australia attributed to physical inactivity • Mental health disorders are prevalent and increasing -1 in 5 people in Australia are affected by a mental health problem in any 1 year

6. Urban Planning and Health Strategic Planning • Adopt health considerations as core business Policy Integration • Incorporate health considerations into policies, strategies and plans across a range of business units Project Initiation • Implement projects that support healthy urban environments Statutory Planning • Apply healthy planning and design guidelines

7. Strategic framework • Vision & mission statements • Government programs – Go for Your Life • Policy documents – Liveable Neighbourhoods WA, Sustainable Neighbourhoods • Metropolitan plans e.g. Melbourne 2030, Sustainable Sydney 2030 • Local planning policies – car parking, housing choice, increasing densities

9. Partnership Healthy Spaces and Places is a partnership between: • Australian Local Government Association • The Heart Foundation of Australia • Planning Institute of Australia This project has received funding assistance from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing

10. Value of Partnership • Unique Partnership • Memorandum of Understanding underpins partnership • Leveraging knowledge, advocacy and networks • Stronger influence for change

11. Project design Four project stages are identified: • Scoping – during 2007 • Consultation – workshops mid - late 2008 • Implementation – 08/09 • Evaluation - 2009

12. Healthy Spaces and Places project is about: • recognizing how everyday urban management decisions can influence people’s health and well-being • recognizing the complexity and cross-disciplinary/sectoral nature of the issues • raising awareness • setting a national policy agenda • supporting current State/local initiatives

13. What are we trying to achieve? • improved understanding amongst health and planning professionals of how the built environment influences active living • people engaging in regular physical activity • sense of belonging and social inclusion • sense of place • positive health impacts on future health burden • sustained economic well-being