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Health Impact Assessment

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a tool to identify and optimise the health and wellbeing impacts of planning. The Government has published a guide which supports the use of HIA in the process of plan making (when developing policies in Local Plans) and planning applications (designing proposals for development projects). 

Health Impact Assessments can be required to be submitted with planning applications through the adoption of a Local Plan policy. The policy will outline the scale of application needing an assessment. These require expertise to complete and in-house resources to evaluate. However, HIA is more effective if it is used by the developer earlier in the design process where it can inform the design.

A Cheshire and Merseyside Checklist

Authorities could, alternatively, compile a simplified checklist for an initial assessment of a planning application by non-planning professionals. This might also provide a useful monitoring framework. It could be developed further into a guide for planning applicants.

A Planning applications assessment and monitoring framework (checklist) has been produced to accompany the Cheshire and Merseyside Planning toolkit. The checklist can be used by internal consultees to assess the potential impacts of a planning application on the healthy food environment. This approach will enable more planning applications to be assessed and more monitoring data to be collected.

The checklist covers five themes from the toolkit which are each divided into topics. This offers the possibility for Council departments to respond to the most relevant sections according to their responsibilities. The assessment criteria should be easy for a non-planning professional to identify from the submission documents such as the design and access statement or landscape plans. Indicators allow the assessment to capture data which can be collated for monitoring and subsequent policy review.

Case Study

Knowsley

Knowsley Council have designed a HIA template for use by developers so that proposals reflect Knowsley Council’s overarching priorities. Some aspects of a healthy food environment are covered:

Does the proposal provide opportunities for community activities and /or the voluntary and community sector?

 

 e.g. Are there spaces for communal activities e.g. a communal garden /community allotment?

 
Describe how the proposal creates healthy workplaces e.g. Outline proposals for green space, safe access for cyclists and pedestrians, opening windows away from roads or pollution, adequate ventilation, spaces which encourage movement, stairs in prominent locations, healthy catering or vending, spaces for staff to prepare and eat own food.

 
Will all homes meet at least the minimum requirements set out in the Nationally Described Space Standards in order to be adequately ‘liveable’? e.g. Refer to the standards and indicate how these Government guidelines will be met, think particularly about use of the home e.g. home working, space for a dining table big enough for the whole family, adequate food storage.

 

 

Case Study

Northumberland

In Northumberland, a Healthy Planning Checklist must be submitted with planning applications. This enables the potential health impacts of development proposals and measures to mitigate negative health impacts to be identified. There is a comprehensive section on healthy food.

Table 1. Planning Issues by Broad Determinant, Health Impacts and Measures to Improve Health Outcome

Theme Headline Planning Issues Potential Impact on Health Possible Mitigation/ Enhancement Measures to Improve Health Outcomes

 
Healthy Foods

  • Does the proposal maintain and enhance opportunities for food growing?
  • Local food growing – gardens, allotments
  • Access to local, affordable fresh food
  • Healthy food supply
  • Opportunities for food growing promotes healthy eating and physical activity. Redevelopment of allotments, gardens and agricultural land can reduce the potential for locally grown food.
  • Limited access to healthy food and poor diet is linked to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and stroke.
  • Overconcentration of hot food takeaways can restrict healthy eating choices.
  • Provide space for communal and individual food growing opportunities, for example allotments, community orchards etc.
  • Ensure provision and/or easy access to local food shops and farmers markets.

 

Part 2. Healthy Planning Checklist

Theme Description of Impact Positive Negative Neutral Unknown Recommendation (to minimise or maximise impact)
Healthy Foods

 

Case Study

Cheshire East

Cheshire East undertake screening or “Rapid Impact Assessments” as part of the application process on all major development proposals. Screening will determine if a full Health Impact Assessment is required The Council also provides a Health Impact Assessment tool for neighbourhood plans. This involves a review of some of the possible health impacts of a policy or proposal, although not impacts on access to healthy food.

Cheshire East Local Plan 2017 identified as one of the attributes of a healthy development:

Promoting the role of communal growing spaces including allotments, garden plots within developments, small scale agriculture and farmers’ markets in providing access to healthy, affordable, locally produced food options. (Policy SC 3: Health and Well-Being)

Case Study

Cheshire West and Chester

 

Local Plan (Part Two) Policy DM 29 requires development to take every reasonable opportunity to promote and positively contribute to the health of the borough. The policy requires a statement considering health implications of all major commercial and residential development should be submitted, with mitigation of negative impacts made proportionate to the scheme. An online form is shared with the Council’s Public Health team.

The Health Impact Statement asks: 

HW.4 Does the development include a hot food takeaway (A5 use class) within a 400m radius of any school?

https://my.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/service/health_impact_information_requirements