Influencing policy to ensure the health and planning agendas are as closely aligned as possible is a key part of HUDU’s role.
Health and planning policy are continually evolving and developing in response to changing national and local circumstances, issues, challenges and opportunities along with awareness of good practice.
Opportunities to integrate health into planning policy exist at several levels and the links between health and planning need to be reflected in both planning policy and health policy documents and healthcare strategies, for example, Health and Wellbeing Strategies are a good vehicle for making the links.
Getting the planning policy framework right is also the key to ensuring the health impacts of development are given due weight and consideration when determining planning applications, and that the opportunities to improve health and healthcare services are maximised when formulating planning proposals and local area or site-specific plans.