Healthy Spaces
and Places
Liz de Chastel
National Policy Manager
University of Canberra
18th April 2008
Overview
• Why design for active living
• Linkages between health, planning, transport and
environment
• Design Principles
• National Project & Value of Partnerships
PIA
• PIA is a professional membership organisation with 4600 urban
planners and related professionals; not for profit & independent
• Advocate and develop policy positions on behalf of members
• Planners work in Local Government (50%), Private Sector (30%)
and State Govt/Academia
• Planners along with others help shape our built and natural
environment
Health Issues around Inactivity
Some facts
•
Physically inactive Australian adults are costing the healthcare system $1.5
billion a year
•
It is estimated that almost 9 million Australians – 54% of adult population – do
not do enough physical activity on a daily basis
•
Not doing enough physical activity doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease,
Type 2 diabetes, and obesity, and increases the risk of breast and bowel
cancer, depression and anxiety
•
All it takes is 30 minutes of activity most days a week to reduce the problem
(Source: Medibank Private Research 2007)
Obesity and Travel Behaviour
Source: Pucher J. & Dijkstra L. (2003), Promoting safe walking and cycling to improve public health:
Lessons from the Netherlands and Germany, American Journal of Public Health 93: 1509 -16
Getting people out of cars
Car trips in local neighbourhoods:
• 10% of all car trips are less than one
kilometre (the equivalent to a ten
minute walk)
• 30% are less than three kilometres
Source: Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics (2002), Greenhouse
policy options for transport, BTRE Report No 105
"Everybody would like a lively city, an attractive city, a
safe city, a sustainable city and a city which invites more
healthy lifestyles.
By being sweet to the pedestrians and sweet to the
bicyclists, you can actually accomplish quite a bit of all
these goals.“
Professor Jan Gehl
Relevance to Canberra
• Attracting Generation Y – prefer walkable, vibrant places to live
• Ageing population – ageing in place, physical and mental health
• Redevelopment areas and new growth areas – offer potential
• Good infrastructure in place – schools, bikeways
• One Government can support co-ordination & integration
• Topography and climate is conducive to active living
Design Elements that promote active
lifestyles
Create Walkable Neighborhoods
• Have legible streets and connected activities such as schools,
shops
• Encourage local trips to be made by walking and cycling by having
direct routes to activities
Plan for Walking & Cycling
• Walking is free and has great health benefits - especially walking to
school & local services
• Walkways may be shared: walking, cycling, prams, scooters
• Walking routes should be safe – road crossings, pavement surface
• Cycling facilities important to encourage use – lockers, showers,
maps
Design for surveillance and safety
• Create safe environments for activity
• Perceptions of safety are a major influence for people’s willingness
to be active
• Pathways should also be safe to minimize falls and injuries
Encourage Use of Public Transport
• Well located and convenient public transport to encourage use over
private vehicles
• Shelters and signage important & accessibility to bus/train/tram
• People that use public transport also walk to the train/bus stop
Provide Passive and Active Recreation
• Adequate, serviced and well located recreation areas and parklands
• Multipurpose – school ovals
• Private/public partnerships
Promote Mixed Land-Use
• Activities grouped together to minimise trips, especially residential,
retail, employment, recreation and public transport
• Local and regional activities
• Promotes walking, cycling and the use of public transport
• Local businesses also benefit
Provide opportunities for interaction
• Meeting Places & Public Places that support a variety of interactions
between people
Food Security/Agricultural Land Protection
• Some States have planning policies that seek to protect good
quality agricultural land – for example in Queensland with a
State Planning Policy on the Protection of Good Agricultural
Land
• Peri-urban (fringe) areas of cities are under the most stress to
convert agricultural production to housing development as
cities continue to expand
• Community Gardens – local community based
• 100 mile diet (Canada)
Food Outlets
•
Links between areas of socio-disadvantage and higher number of fast
food outlets (VicLanes project)
•
Local & Regional food outlets should be well located with good
pedestrian/ public transport/car access
•
Planning Legislation does not regulate the type of food that is sold –
but can monitor the location of fast food outlets (this is done in
Victoria) & may limit increasing the number of sites
•
Farmers markets are being promoted
by many Councils
•
This needs more research and sharing
of case studies
Partnership
Healthy Spaces and Places is a
partnership between:
• Australian Local Government
Association
• the Heart Foundation
• Planning Institute of Australia
This project has received funding
assistance from the Australian
Government Department of Health
and Ageing
Value of Partnership
• Unique Partnership
• Memorandum of Understanding underpins
partnership
• Leveraging knowledge, advocacy and
networks
• Stronger influence for change
Project design
Four project stages are identified:
• Scoping – during 2007
• Consultation – workshops mid - late 2008
• Implementation – 08/09
• Evaluation - 2009
Supporting current initiatives
Development of a national guide looks to complement:
–
–
–
–
–
NSW Premier’s Council for Active Living
Victoria ‘Healthy by Design’ and ‘Go for your life’
Premier’s Physical Activity Taskforce & ‘Walk WA’
Chief Minister’s Active Living Council & ‘Go NT’
Tasmanian Premier’s Active Living Council & ‘Get Moving
Tasmania’
– South Australian Active Living Coalition & ‘Be active’
– Queensland – emergent issues
Healthy Spaces and Places project is about:
• recognizing how everyday urban management
decisions can influence people’s health and wellbeing
• recognizing the complexity and crossdisciplinary/-sectoral nature of the issues
• raising awareness
• setting a national policy agenda
• supporting current State/local initiatives
What are we trying to achieve?
• improved understanding amongst health and
planning professionals of how the built
environment influences active living
• people engaging in regular physical activity
• sense of belonging and social inclusion
• sense of place
• positive health impacts on future health
burden
• sustained economic well-being
Consultation
• Discussion draft available shortly from PIA website,
with links to ALGA and Heart Foundation websites
• Workshops in metropolitan and regional locations
• First workshop in Adelaide on 15 May (tbc)
• Also can submit comments on-line at
www.planning.org.au
Healthy Spaces and Places
• We welcome you involvement and comments
• Please contact project manager (Anne Moroney)
healthyplaces@planning.org.au or 02/6262 5933