Thinking creatively to make strong health-supporting neighbourhoods

摘要

Planning has always been about marrying the forces of the physical environment with the desires of those who choose to occupy it. A lot is expected from the planning process, but too often it is preoccupied with the hot topics of space standards, aesthetics and periodically a heightened focus on design and quality. Of course, it is expected that planning should try to solve all society's ills - and in fact it has achieved some success in the past with employer-led developments such as Bournville and Port Sunlight and at Letchworth Garden City and Hampstead Garden Suburb. However, it is only quite recently that there has been a renewed focus on what 'place' can do for our health. Perhaps the recent shift towards linking health and planning is due to a growing awareness of the fundamental demographic shifts under way and the rise of the ageing population. By 2035, for the first time, the over-60s could outnumber the under-16s as a proportion of the total population. This will change the way we plan for high-quality places, with a need to consider and specifically address the ageing population and their differing sets of needs.