Can the implementation of net gain requirements in England's planning system be applied to health?

James Stewart-Evans; Caglar Koksal; Michael Chang

doi:10.1016/S2542-5196(24)00001-9

Can the implementation of net gain requirements in England's planning system be applied to health?

James Stewart-Evans^*, Caglar Koksal, Michael Chang

^*Corresponding author for this work

Planning, Property and Environmental Management

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This Personal View considers the relationship between spatial planning and health and the potential benefits of requiring health net gain from land use decisions and new developments. We explore how a health net gain objective could be applied in spatial planning policy and practice to improve people's health and wellbeing, using England's implementation of a biodiversity net gain objective as a model. This Personal View emphasises the need for a systems approach to the definition and strategic coordination of health gains, recognising the breadth of health determinants and inter-related economic, environmental, and social policy objectives. By considering the potential application of a net gain principle to health in spatial planning, we offer valuable insights into how the spatial planning system could be used to build the conditions of health creation. A road map is provided for exploration of health net gain in other national contexts in support of the operationalisation of global urban health initiatives.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	e188-e196
Journal	The Lancet Planetary Health
Volume	8
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(24)00001-9
Publication status	Published - 5 Mar 2024

Keywords

spatial planning
net gain
biodiversity net gain
urban planning
health improvement

Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms

Global inequalities
Healthier Futures
Manchester Urban Institute

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/S2542-5196(24)00001-9Licence: CC BY

1 Active
2 Finished

Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government Policy Fellowship
Koksal, C. (PI)
1/11/23 → 1/05/25
Project: Research
Embedding Health in Local Design Guides and Measuring Impact of Planning on Public Health in Manchester
Koksal, C. (PI) & Zandieh, R. (CoI)
17/02/22 → 30/11/22
Project: Research
TRUUD: Tackling Root Causes Upstream of Unhealthy Urban Development (TRUUD)
Wong, C. (PI), Verma, A. (PI), Farragher, T. (Researcher), Peake-Jones, S. (Researcher), Koksal, C. (Researcher), Nyakutsikwa, B. (Researcher) & Zheng, H. (Researcher)
1/10/19 → 30/09/24
Project: Research

3 Article
1 Book/Film/Article review
1 Other contribution

Beyond public health, beyond spatial planning: Boundary-spanning policy regime of urban health in England
Koksal, C. & Wong, C., 14 May 2023, In: Built Environment. 49, 2, p. 166-186 21 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
Public health spatial planning in practice: improving health and wellbeing: by Michael Chao-Jung Chang, Liz Green and Carl Petrokofsky. 2022. Published by Bristol University Press: Bristol. 288 pp., 20 figures, 25 tables, £29.99 (Paperback). ISBN 9781447358466.
Koksal, C., 20 Apr 2023, In: Cities & Health.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Book/Film/Article review › peer-review
Understanding how to create healthier places: A qualitative study exploring the complex system of urban development decision-making
Le Gouais, A., Bates, G., Callway, R., Kwon, H. R., Montel, L., Peake-Jones, S., White, J., Hasan, M. N., Koksal, C., Barnfield, A., Bondy, K. & Ayres, S., 1 May 2023, In: Health & Place. 81, 103023.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access

2 Participating in a conference, workshop, exhibition, performance, inquiry, course etc
2 Invited talk
2 Oral presentation
1 Visiting an external non-academic organisation

International Festival of Public Health
Koksal, C. (Participant)
6 Jul 2023 → 7 Jul 2023
Activity: Participating in or organising event(s) › Participating in a conference, workshop, exhibition, performance, inquiry, course etc › Research
Reform Research Trust
Koksal, C. (Secondee)
1 Jan 2023 → 30 Dec 2023
Activity: External visiting positions or secondments › Visiting an external non-academic organisation › Research
Developing 'health net gain' in spatial planning: concept, method, & practice
Stewart-Evans, J. (Speaker), Koksal, C. (Speaker) & Chang, M. (Speaker)
7 Sept 2022
Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation › Research

'Health test' for new developments
Koksal, C.
1/03/22 → 10/06/22
7 items of Media coverage, 1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Blogs and social media

Cite this

@article{5d66c227c31d41ebbaf35bd6c1713efd,

title = "Can the implementation of net gain requirements in England's planning system be applied to health?",

abstract = "This Personal View considers the relationship between spatial planning and health and the potential benefits of requiring health net gain from land use decisions and new developments. We explore how a health net gain objective could be applied in spatial planning policy and practice to improve people's health and wellbeing, using England's implementation of a biodiversity net gain objective as a model. This Personal View emphasises the need for a systems approach to the definition and strategic coordination of health gains, recognising the breadth of health determinants and inter-related economic, environmental, and social policy objectives. By considering the potential application of a net gain principle to health in spatial planning, we offer valuable insights into how the spatial planning system could be used to build the conditions of health creation. A road map is provided for exploration of health net gain in other national contexts in support of the operationalisation of global urban health initiatives.",

keywords = "spatial planning, net gain, biodiversity net gain, urban planning, health improvement",

author = "James Stewart-Evans and Caglar Koksal and Michael Chang",

note = "Crown Copyright {\textcopyright} 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.",

year = "2024",

month = mar,

day = "5",

doi = "10.1016/S2542-5196(24)00001-9",

language = "English",

volume = "8",

pages = "e188--e196",

journal = "The Lancet Planetary Health",

issn = "2542-5196",