Abstract
The environment in which we live is a significant determinant of health. Yet in some ways we are literally building unhealthy conditions into the fabric of our cities, and the profession charged with planning the urban environment currently lacks a conceptual framework for integrating health into spatial planning decision making. Taking sustainable development as its starting point, this paper examines the logic of adopting a human ecology perspective on settlements. It argues that the human dimension of such theories (and related practice) is underplayed, and proposes a new conceptual model of settlements that puts human health and well being at its heart. The model combines an ecosystem analysis which expresses the relationship between people and their environment with a public health approach which identifies the relevant social/environmental determinants of well-being. The paper shows hozv this 'ecosystem health map' can assist with the theory and practice of urban planning.
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