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Planning for Health
Over recent years PIA has become increasingly aware of the synergies that exist and the "cause and effect" relationship between planning decisions and the impact these decisions have on the health of our community.
This awareness has lead to concerns that while the community, collectively and individually, continues to pay the social and financial health burden costs associated with various "lifestyle" diseases such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease, various aspects of planning and urban management continue to reinforce these unhealthy and costly trends. During 2002, PIA (Vic) worked with VicHealth and the Department of Human Services organising seminars for planning and health professionals and other interested people in Melbourne and regional areas on the theme "Planning and Health: Building Sustainable Links".
In August 2002, a closer working relationship between PIA(Vic) and VicHealth was proposed, so that we might build a clear link between planning and health promotion. As a result of this initiative we were very pleased to receive a grant of $60,000 for the year 2002-2003, and subsequent grants including funding for 2007-08.
The PIA Planning for Health and Wellbeing Project subsequently won the 2005 VicHealth Award for ‘Projects Promoting Other Health Issues - project with a budget of $15,000 to $75,000'.
PLANNING FOR HEALTH PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The project objectives are to:
- increase the number of planners aware of and advocating for the integration of planning and health
- increase the capacity of planners to influence local urban design so that health is "planned in " rather than "planned out".
- gather evidence of good planning for health and well being, including literature and case studies, collated and disseminated to planners.
- identify key planing and design elements that will lead to greater health and social benefits for the community.
PLANNING FOR HEALTH AND WELLBEING - CALL FOR ACTION FACT SHEET. On 23 March 2007 The Hon. Justin Madden MLC, Minister for Planning launched Planning For Health & Wellbeing Call to Action Fact Sheet.
The launch documentation below was released with a great sense of enthusiasm for addressing these important planning issues and PIA looks forward to working with the Victorian Government to put Health at the centre of Planning over the coming months.
• Background Paper (pdf 271kb)
• Call for Action (pdf 48kb)
• Fact Sheet (pdf 138kb)
The Australian Financial Review (pdf 95kb) (page 69) also carried an article about the launch and PIA's Call to Action.
The Healthy Spaces and Places project is developing a national planning guide and accompanying materials, addressing the relationship between people's health and the built environment. The project also aims to raise awareness of this cross-disciplinary area and to contribute to national policy setting.
As it is a work in progress, the project collaborators - The Australian Local Government Association, the Heart Foundation and the Planning Institute of Australia - are keen to hear your comments and insights.
There are many potential users with many different needs for resources, tools and advocacy. It is anticipated that the final guide and accompanying materials will be very relevant, user-friendly and accessible.
Click here to get further information on the development of this national guide and accompanying materials.
Planning for Health is funded by the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation. Further information about health promotion is available from www.vichealth.vic.gov.au
For more details about Planning for Health contact Stuart Worn
Telephone (03) 9347 1900 Fax: 03 9347 2900
Email health@planning.org.au