Spatial planning
Our health and wellbeing are shaped by the environments in which we live, work and play. Good planning can create places that encourage:
- Active travel
- Access to green space
- Safe housing
- Social connection
- Resilience to climate change
Poor planning can enforce existing inequalities and reduce opportunities for healthy living.
Ensuring that planning continues to support healthy living is vital for Norfolk's residents.
Public Health and planning applications
Norfolk's planning in health protocol sets out how organisations work together to ensure health is considered throughout the planning process. This includes the NHS, local planning authorities, and Public Health.
As part of this, Public Health review planning applications. We highlight the potential health impacts (both positive and negative) of the proposed projects. While we typically only respond to significant applications, we help to ensure that health is part of the evidence used by planners and decision-makers.
Public Health is also involved in more strategic plan-making. We ensure that principles supporting healthy living are included in policies such as local plans and design codes.
Public Health and Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs)
Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) are large-scale developments determined by government. They follow a different process to typical planning applications.
As part of this process, Public Health provide input into the different phases of statutory consultation. We help to ensure that potential impacts on health and wellbeing across the project's lifecycle are considered. This includes construction, operation, and decommissioning.
Neighbourhood plans
Neighbourhood plans give communities the chance to develop their local area. This provides an opportunity to include policies that improve health and wellbeing. To help this, Public Health has produced a guide called health in neighbourhood plans. This covers themes such as green space, housing quality, and opportunities for active travel.
