Health-integrated planning at the local level in England: Impediments and opportunities

Abstract

The project commissioned by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) aimed to examine the degree to which UK, mainly English local planning authorities, incorporate health in their land use plans and development decisions. The project involved systematic reviews of evidence together with case studies. The range of performance in relation to health identified in the project shows that best practice in England depends not so much on the planning system per se, as on the leadership, commitment and knowledge of politicians and practitioners involved. The barriers to health integration are organisational and professional silos, ignorance, resources, and reactive planning regime. Clear lessons for research and practice are emerging: first, well attested research evidence is quite scarce, for example in relation to sustainability appraisal and health; second, planning agencies need to forge good partnerships with public health, transport, housing and economic development decision-makers, and develop proactive, healthy plans; the new planning regime and move of the public health function into local authorities in 2013 in England will give policy opportunities for the consideration of health outcomes in planning decisions, and research should in time evaluate if results have been achieved on the ground.