Research on planning for health and wellbeing

This research explores how good spatial planning can deliver better health and wellbeing outcomes for people, while rushed or ill-considered planning interventions can cause the opposite.

One project aims to fill the knowledge gap on the health impacts and inequalities associated with housing converted under England’s expanded permitted development rules, while another explores the relationships between health-focused policies in local plans, the geography of local authorities and local contexts.

We include a research project on planning places that support better mental health, which won an RTPI Student Award for Research Excellence in 2022.

We also include an Interface collection which shines a spotlight on the links between the spatial planning and public health professions and their common agenda.