The latest legislative changes establish housing standards and other ‘general determinants of health’ as a means to address health through strategic authorities, spatial development strategies and local plan policies
Both the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and the Devolution Bill contain clauses that create an opportunity to strengthen housing requirements in both spatial development strategies and Local Plan policies. We have to look across both bills currently passing through parliament to understand the implications of the new health duty on the strategic tier of government, a duty that recognises housing standards as a key determinant of health.
The new strategic duty to promote health improvement and reduce health inequalities
The Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, clause 43 indicates that all strategic authorities (combined authorities, combined county authorities, upper-tier county councils and unitary authorities) will have a new duty to promote health improvement and reduce health inequalities. This duty defines key determinants of health, including:
- housing standards
- transport services
- public safety
- employment prospects
The duty aligns with the Greater London Authority, who have been subject to a health improvement and inequalities duty under the GLA Act 1999.
Addressing the health duty through spatial development strategies
Each strategic planning authorities will be expected to prepare a spatial development strategy (SDS) for its area – modelling the approach applied in London over the last 20 years. An SDS must include policies on the use and development of land that are of strategic importance to the area – and this can include policies on housing and infrastructure requirements. Clause 60 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill states that strategic planning authorities will need to consider the effect of a proposed SDS on:
- the health of persons in the strategy area;
- health inequalities between persons living in the strategy area;
- the achievement of sustainable development
Strategic authorities will therefore need to consider how their spatial plans will comply with the Health Duty in the Devolution Bill. Furthermore, local plans within a strategic authority area must be in ‘general conformity’ with the SDS. This means SDS or Local Plan policies which address key health determinants, including housing and infrastructure requirements, must be written in a way that will contribute to meeting the health duty.
Building on existing good practice
Last year, the TCPA produced guidance for local planning authorities in England, collating local policies which embed a strong approach towards Healthy Homes and healthy placemaking, and positively seek to promote health improvement. In order to ensure compliance with the new duty, the TCPA would also recommend the application of Health Impact Assessment (HIA, e.g. Public Health Wales) or Health Equity Impact Assessment (HEIA, e.g. West Midlands Combined Authority bus transit HEIA). HIAs are vital to appraise, refine and monitor the impacts of the SDS and Local Plan policies for the health of local people.
Although these legislative changes do not bring the policy clarity that the TCPA and others have been seeking on Healthy Homes and placemaking, they do mean that health must be a central consideration by all strategic authorities going forward. And furthermore, that the Planning Inspectorate should be cognisant of this health duty when examining SDS and local development plans.
Further links
Image: Citizens House is an 11-home, genuinely and permanently affordable housing project in Sydenham, Lewisham (near Brasted Close).
