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Health and Wellbeing Statement

A Health and Wellbeing Statement aims to ensure that health and health disparities are considered in decision making, it will contain an assessment of the health implications of the project and set out how positive outcomes for health have been taken into account and how any negative consequences have been avoided or minimized.

Some planning authorities (for example Liverpool City Council) require that a Health and Wellbeing Statement is submitted with planning applications.

But what is a Health and Wellbeing Statement, and what information does it include.

Health and Wellbeing Statement Chapters

A Health and Wellbeing Statement will have a fairly typical report layout, with subject specific cahpters:

Healthy Places

A healthy place is one which supports and promotes healthy behaviors and environments and a reduction in health inequalities for people of all ages. It will provide the community with opportunities to improve their physical and mental health, and support community engagement and wellbeing. But what are the practical measures that should be considered?

Enhanced and Optimised Nature

Prioritise nature so that diverse ecosystems can flourish to ensure a healthy natural environment that supports and enhances biodiversity.

a picure of a family enjoying a natural space within an urban environment

Design

Good design promotes quality of life for the occupants and users of buildings. This includes function – buildings should be easy to use. It also includes comfort, safety, security, amenity, privacy, accessibility and adaptability.

Well designed homes and buildings are efficient and cost effective to run. They help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by incorporating features that encourage sustainable lifestyles. They have good ventilation, avoid overheating, minimise sound pollution and have good air quality, while providing comfort and personal control for their users.

Well-designed homes and communal areas within buildings provide a good standard and quality of internal space. This includes room sizes, floor-to-ceiling heights, internal and external storage, sunlight, daylight and ventilation. The quality of internal space needs careful consideration in higher density developments, particularly for family accommodation, where access, privacy, daylight and external amenity space are also important.

Where a need is identified, Local Plans may adopt the Nationally Described Space Standards and those for accessibility and water.

Good Examples of Mitigation

There are numerous measures that can be implemented to increase health and well being of occupants:

House frontages are carefully designed with generous windows from habitable rooms, visible and attractive front doors and planting to act as buffer between the pavement and window.

Negative Health and Wellbeing Impacts from Poor Design and Layout

There are a number of bad design choices that can be made:

Walking Distances

A development within walking distance of key features will have healthier residents (provided infrastructure is connected and pleasant to use):

suggested walking distances for developments