Planning Healthy Neighbourhoods Presenter Stephanie Knox Health Status

Planning Healthy Neighbourhoods Presenter: Stephanie Knox

Health Status § Epidemic of chronic diseases cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, diabetes, cancer § Obesity rates – about half of the adult pop are overweight or obese § Insufficient physical activity for health benefits § Mental health disorders are prevalent and increasing

Vulnerable groups § Elderly people (and the population is ageing) § Children - they outnumber the elderly at present but situation reversed in 2020 s § People with disabilities

Children and Youth § 1/3 children overweight or obese (& incr) § socio-economically disadvantaged are more likely to be overweight or obese § Less walking and cycling to school § Social isolation § Access to parks, trails, public transport, recreation and entertainment § Perceptions of safety in neighbourhoods

Costs to the community § The direct health care costs of physical inactivity are huge. Physical inactivity is estimated to cost the Australian community around $10 billion nationally each year in direct health care costs; obesity is as high as $5 billion. - Australian Department of Health and Aged Care

Australian suburban environments § Car oriented § Poor public transport and links to public transport § Concerns about safety § Poor public space § Poor access to fresh food

Compact residential development § Often expensive § Social polarisation § Diminished personal autonomy e. g. no pets § Less access to open space § Often poor access to fresh food

Healthy urban environments need: § § § § § Mixed uses Density Local destinations – schools, parks, shops etc Attractive local environment, sense of place Footpaths, cycle paths, trails Streets for people as well as vehicles Connected streets Safe and secure environment Shade and weather protection Access to good public transport, and ………….

Local facilities within close walking distance 400 – 800 metres § Provide many and varied local facilities § Ensure fresh food Encourage social interaction via neighbourhood clusters (eg library/café, internet café/childcare/community garden) and shared use § Encourage ‘sense of place’ – quality in design § Ensure fresh food is accessible

Facility Design § Design for easy pedestrian and cycle access § Provide facilities for cyclists § Well designed pedestrian friendly car parks § Green healthy buildings § Make stairs the easy option

Parks and open space § Provide pleasant spaces for active, organised and passive recreation for a range of users § Range of sizes for different uses § Promote safety, natural surveillance & amenity § Provide natural shade or structured shelter § Access to nature is important for physical and mental health

Neighbourhood parks § Connect with walk and cycle paths § Aesthetically pleasing, attractive trees and gardens § Maintain well § Include facilities eg play equipment, seats drinking fountains, safe and well designed public toilets) § Promote other activities on the edge of parks

Walking and cycling routes § Provide for a range of users § Integrated, connected routes to destinations including public transport § Provide safe pathways on predictable travel routes § Appropriate widths, surfaces, grades etc § Continuous paths § Direct and indirect routes § Signage § Shade and shelter

Streets for People § Slower traffic speeds – “Reclaim the street and tame the traffic” § Encourage attractive frontages § Increase people on the streets § Integrate neighbourhoods with grid design § Safe and easy access and street crossings

Attractive public spaces and places

Signs, lights, fencing § Signage - durable, clear, consistent § Light up areas used at night time & places of congregation § Provide transparent fencing along street frontages and adjacent to parks – no blank walls

Seats § On paths, in parks, squares etc § At frequent intervals for people to rest – in clusters to encourage social interaction § At places with good views/vistas § With protection from sun and extreme weather

Creating ‘commons’ § Involve communities in planning § Promote neighbourliness § Create opportunities for social interaction § Design spaces for community events § Sense of place § Community art

Healthy planning practice Strategic Approach § Promote healthy urban planning as core business § Include in mission statements, goals Policy Integration § Incorporate healthy design considerations into policies, strategies and plans across a range of business units

Healthy planning practice Implementation tools • Mixed uses • Densities • Footpath and cycle path provision, width etc • Connected streets and destinations Site design and development • Building orientation • Public art • No long blank walls

Healthy planning practice Project Initiation § Implement projects that support healthy urban environments Public facilities - Post offices, schools, hospitals § Siting § Connections – walking, public transport § Schools as community centres § Multiple uses and shared use

How it’s done elsewhere