Issue and Options 2023
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New searchQ-W1: Warwickshire County Council support an overall policy on Pollution. The following supports our decision: Pollution is vast covering land, sea and water. An overarching approach should provide a co-produced systematic plan in addressing the issue in line with the latest evidence base. This approach maybe progressive given time to change behaviours and implement new ways of working and to allow time required for transformation change in uniting all sectors and partners. Supports Warwickshire County Council’s declared climate emergency. Warwickshire County Council - Council Plan 2020-2025. Poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK. Poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK, as long-term exposure to air pollution can cause chronic conditions such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases as well as lung cancer, leading to reduced life expectancy. (Health Matters: air Pollution, GOV.UK) People living in the most deprived areas are more likely to suffer from multiple long-term conditions which can be exacerbated by poor air quality. Warwickshire County Council’s Promoting Health and Wellbeing through Spatial Planning reports: Transport related air pollution impacts most on the disadvantaged which results in increased risk of respiratory diseases and other illness. People in the 10 per cent most deprived areas in England experience worst air quality, suffering for example 41 per cent higher concentrations of nitrogen dioxide than the average (Walker, 2003). Lower socioeconomic groups are more likely to be housed close to airports, highways and busy roads, meaning that these groups are likely to experience more nuisance from noise and pollution than other groups. https://democracy.warwickshire.gov.uk/documents/s2123/04%20Appendix%20A.pdf Given people living in the most deprived areas in England experience worst air quality and suffer from multiple long-term conditions which can be exacerbated by pollution, there should also be a focus on making health inequalities a priority to improve the likelihood of positive outcomes, especially within identified Air Quality Management Areas. Given the scale of Pollution, Warwickshire Public Health look forward to hearing more about this approach as the South Warwickshire Local Plan develops Q-W2: Option W2a: Include a policy on Health Impact Assessments. Warwickshire Public Health support a Health Impact Assessment approach. Warwickshire Public Health are pleased to see that “As well as a HIA of the policies at Preferred Options stage, consideration should be given to major planning proposals and whether applications for these should require a Health Impact Assessment to be submitted”. As outlined in the Issues and Option 2023 document and supported in the Consultation Statement 2022 the National Planning Policy Guidance (NPPF) refers to Health Impact Assessment's as a useful planning tool in addressing any major development proposals and considers the impact they may have on the health and wellbeing of a population. Additionally, this is supported by national government guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spatial-planning-for-health-evidence-review and the National Government Association. Health Impact Assessment is a method Warwickshire County Council recommend using to systematically examine the effect that a development may have on a population. The Warwickshire Director of Public Health Annual Report 2022 has made several recommendations to improve health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities in Warwickshire. The recommendations are framed around the themes of housing, food, and transport to address the causes of poor health and wellbeing. Implementation of the recommendations will rely upon the concerted efforts of key partners across health and care and the wider determinants of health. One of the four recommendations highlights that “that key anchor organisations, including local authorities focus expertise and capacity on building an inclusive, healthy and sustainable Warwickshire. To do this, all partners should focus on: “Policy: adopting, and sharing learning from, a Health in All Policies approach (https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/health-policies-1/health-policies) and using Health Equity Assessment Tool (HEAT) to reduce inequalities in health”. The HEAT was produced by Public Health England (PHE) to enable professionals to systematically identify and address health inequalities and equity in their work programmes or services. The Director of Public Health Annual Report 2022 can be accessed here: https://api.warwickshire.gov.uk/documents/WCCC-1350011118-3085 Departments across Warwickshire County Council over the last 18 months have successfully completed HEAT used to judge the potential health effects of new developments, policy, programmes and / or projects on a population, particularly on vulnerable or disadvantaged groups. HEAT across the Council have proven to be a success providing impactful opportunities to influence policy so that any potential negative health impacts can be considered, reduced or avoided and opportunities for positive impacts can be enhanced and improved further. In addition to HEAT, Warwickshire County Council recommend that developers use the Wales HIA Support Unit (WHIASU) tool https://phwwhocc.co.uk/whiasu/ or the London Healthy Urban Development Unit https://www.healthyurbandevelopment.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/HUDU-Rapid-HIA-Tool-October-2019.pdf Warwickshire County Council Public Health team recommend the Health Equity Assessment / HEAT should be started at the beginning of the policy development process, with adequate time and resources available to support it. The consequences for health of the development can then be fully considered, and the HIA/HEAT can have a genuine influence on the development. The HIA/HEAT will need to be revisited with each iteration of the proposed development, to ensure that significant changes have been assessed. Public Health Warwickshire support working in conjunction with South Warwickshire on the Health Impact Assessment. Q-W3: Option W3a: Include an overall policy on health: Public Health Warwickshire support an overall health policy approach. A Health Policy developed at Stage 1 will provide an overarching framework in creating communities which are safe, healthy, and inclusive for everyone across South Warwickshire. The Policy, developed at a strategic level should be co-produced with local infrastructure providers at the earliest possible stage to understand requirements and take account of key strategies and that duplication is avoided. Regular review and evaluation of the Policy would ensure the Policy is informed, updated with strategy priorities, latest evidence base and emerging needs of communities. There should also be a focus on making health inequalities a priority to improve the likelihood of positive outcomes. Q-W4: Warwickshire County Council where pleased to see that “There is a lot of evidence which suggests that the places in which people live and work can have a profound influence over their physical and mental health. A paper written by Public Health England 'Getting research into practice A resource for local authorities on planning healthier places' suggests that poor health and illness is influenced by the environment in which people live.” Ensuring places are well connected to green spaces provides opportunities for people to exercise outside and walk and/or cycle to key services and facilities is key. Regular green space visits are associated with improvements in mental wellbeing and exercising outside. Please see the WCC Public Health developed Promoting Health and Wellbeing Through Spatial Planning document for more information: https://democracy.warwickshire.gov.uk/documents/s2123/04%20Appendix%20A.pdf. Warwickshire Public Health value the South Warwickshire consultation with professionals and the public to understand what is important to them in line with local health and wellbeing needs. Targeted community engagement with the public will help in addressing barriers to healthy behaviours, For example, if the community are travelling children to school in the car and live in a built up urban area with high traffic congestion the motivation to engage in active travel is lower and that changes, awareness and education is required. How do we encourage various modes of active travel where uptake is low? Are barriers fully understood? How can appropriate active travel materials and resources help with individuals’ behaviours? Behaviour change models can be a helpful guide when identifying intervention components and addressing barriers to healthy behaviours. The COM-B behaviour change model is used extensively in behaviour change interventions in the scientific literature. COM-B (‘capability’, ‘opportunity’, ‘motivation’ and ‘behaviour’) model. This model recognises that behaviour is part of an interacting system involving all these components. [COM-B image included] Community engagement is essential to ensure interventions are appropriate, targeted for communities and their needs are highlighted to have the most positive impact. We recommend an emphasis on co-production to improve the likelihood of positive behaviour change. Community champions have been shown as a positive intervention to engage with communities and develop local solutions. Adopting this approach may influence communities to increase knowledge and confidence in being able to cycle to school. Green open Spaces are known to be linked to significant benefits for people's health and wellbeing, as well as additional environmental and economic benefits. Can Warwickshire Public Health ask if green gyms have been considered, especially as the rising cost of living is likely to exacerbate some of the health inequalities which already exist across the county? Finally, Warwickshire Public Health ask that consideration is in place for regulating the growth and proliferation of hot food takeaway, highlighting the links to obesity, especially within the most deprived areas across Warwickshire. Warwickshire Public Health encourage all new hot food takeaway establishments to undertake a Health Impact Assessment prior to planning approval. https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/planning-document-to-limit-the-proliferation-of-takeaways Evidence supporting this consideration is the following for Warwickshire: • Adults classified as overweight or obese has increased from 63.3% (2019/2020) to 65.6% (2020/21) • Year 6 children classified as obese and severely obese has increased from 19.8% (2019/20) to 21.6% in 2021/22) • Reception age children classified as obese and severely obese has also increased from 8.7% in 2019/20 to 8.9% in 2021/22. Access to further healthy lifestyle health data when assessing developments and populations can be found here: https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/Road%20traffic%20accidents#page/1/gid/1/pat/6/ati/402/are/E10000031/iid/90804/age/169/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/3/cid/4/tbm/1 https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/joint-strategic-needs-assessments-1
It is positive to see that Smart Cities technologies are being considered given the social, economic, and environmental benefits to communities. Public Health Warwickshire seek further clarity with this question? ‘Support’ in terms of financial or ‘support’ from infrastructure providers and /or other suggestions? Although Smart Cities technology presents many disadvantages such as privacy and security risks and substantial investment capital there are many beneficial advantages to the health and wellbeing of communities. Data and digital technology combined can help with individual making more informed choices and decisions, thereby improving their quality of life. Smart Cities technologies assist in keeping our communities safer. Research has shown that people are concerned about their safety on public transport such as violent crime (e.g., sexual offenses, knife attacks, terrorism, thefts), non-violent crime (e.g., anti-social behaviour, vandalism, drug use, trespassing, drunkenness) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340987221_Public_Transport_Quality_Safety_and_Perceived_Accessibility. As highlighted in Warwickshire County Council Spatial Planning Document https://democracy.warwickshire.gov.uk/documents/s2123/04%20Appendix%20A.pdf Smart Cities technologies could assist in the reduction of crime and improve public safety. Smart cities technologies allow behaviour change to be understood in further detail such as people’s patterns, changes in behaviour and demands of people and in turn technology can respond with more efficient and lower cost improvements. Smart Cities technologies will bring vast improvements to the environment including the reduction of carbon footprint, reduced emissions which could help in keeping many people safe from adverse health conditions such as Asthma and COPD. 'Live' timetable information at bus stops is likely to provide reliable confidence for more people to use public transport, therefore, reducing car dependency. Warwickshire Public Health look forward to hearing more about the Smart Cities technologies approach as the South Warwickshire Local Plan develops.
Q-T1: Option T1c Warwickshire County Council Public Health support a bespoke policy requiring the principles of 20-minute neighbourhoods to be included in development proposals. Warwickshire County Council were pleased to see that the principles of the 20-minute neighbourhood “have underpinned the development of the 'settlement design analysis' across South Warwickshire with a view to this informing the evolution of spatial strategy options in making the case that this might form the basis of a policy within the SWLP”. It is critical that the environment in which people live does not promote sedentary behaviour. Structure and design can influence whether communities will walk or cycle. Simply, by having key facilities within a reasonable walking distance can encourage active travel. Having facilities and services available near developments are particularly imperative for community resilience, happiness and especially important for people that are elderly, socially isolated, those living with health conditions and those living with a disability. As reported within Warwickshire’s County Council Spatial Planning document https://democracy.warwickshire.gov.uk/documents/s2123/04%20Appendix%20A.pdf residents of highly walkable neighbourhoods have lower body weights than their counterparts in less walkable neighbourhoods (Foresight report, 2007). Waltham Forest Council have reported to have successfully pioneered 20-minute neighbourhoods, giving every resident easy access to everything they need to live well. https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/council-and-elections/about-us/waltham-forest-public-service-strategy/priority-3-our-15-minute-neighbourhood We would encourage best practice dialogue with other local authorities across the country in implementing the 20-minute neighbourhoods’ principles and that the Policy is reviewed regularly in line with the most up to date evidence base. Q-T2: Warwickshire County Council Public Health support T2a - a policy which takes a hierarchical approach to prioritising transport infrastructure. The Warwickshire Director of Public Health Annual Report 2022 has made several recommendations to improve health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities in Warwickshire. The recommendations are framed around the themes of housing, food, and transport in order to address the causes of poor health and wellbeing. Implementation of the recommendations will rely upon the concerted efforts of key partners across health and care and the wider determinants of health. One of the four recommendations highlights that “that transport planners and health partners work together to improve transport links for those living in areas with more rural isolation, deprivation and where rates of long-term conditions and access to transport links are poor”. Public Transport plays a key role, particularly for vulnerable groups, in providing access to a range of services and opportunities, including health care, employment, shops and recreational activities. When combined with walking and cycling use of public transport can also bring health, wellbeing, and environmental benefits. Warwickshire County Council Public Health are pleased to see that considerations such as making changes to car parking standards and lowering them in areas where there are good active/public transport links such as in main urban centres. The Warwickshire County Council Director Public Health Annual Report 2022 reports that certain groups are impacted by this more than others. Nationally, those living in the most deprived areas are 3 times more likely to rely on public transport for essential travel and less likely to be able to work from home, compared to those in the least deprived areas (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2021/jan/people-deprived-areas-3-times-more-likely-use-public-transport-essential-travel). In 2017/18, 33% of the lowest income households nationally did not have access to a car (thereby making them more reliant on public transport), compared to just 5% of the highest income households (https://www.health.org.uk/publications/long-reads/how-transport-offers-a-route-to-better-health) Women may also be disproportionately affected. In 2018, women across England made over a third more journeys by bus then men. (https://wbg.org.uk/analysis/uk-policy-briefings/2019-wbg-briefing-public-transport-and-gender/) Community engagement is essential to ensure interventions are appropriate (especially within the most deprived areas), targeted for communities and their needs are highlighted to have the most positive impact. We recommend an emphasis on co-production to improve the likelihood of these positive behaviour changes. It was also pleasing to see that proposals should support the priorities outlined in Warwickshire’s Local Transport Plan. Warwickshire County Council Public Health recognise the complexities surrounding this plan; however, possible interventions are clear and key to supporting active travel choices by 2026. Q-T3: Whilst this correctly identifies the issues faced by existing residents and businesses, particularly in the rural areas, the current delivery mechanisms for improvements are subject to CIL legislation, viability considerations and the commercial realities for public transport providers. Consideration could therefore be given to identifying sites for future development that could have a cumulative benefit on the existing population for an area. Warwickshire County Council Public Health support a policy encouraging more sustainable road-based transport for businesses. Warwickshire County Council has declared a climate emergency, therefore, Warwickshire County Council Public Health are pleased to see that ‘sustainable road-based transport for businesses’ is being considered. (Warwickshire County Council - Council Plan 2020-2025) Options outlined in the Plan such as low emissions zones, workplace levies etc is positive. Other methods of encouraging the uptake of electric and low emission vehicles could be explored further such as public incentives but consideration given to larger scale businesses, especially those organisations whose predominant form of travel is road-based. Evidence suggests that a package of well-designed financial incentives plus non-financial incentives (and possibly also investment in public charging) may be the most effective means of increasing uptake. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/464763/uptake-of-ulev-uk.pdf Whilst it is recognised that detailed standards will be developed in due course, an over-arching policy could be helpful for residential and employment sites, and potentially retail and education uses. Until revised standards are in place, the existing standards will be applied, and these may be contrary to the general presumption intended for sites (depending on the strategy chosen), and it is likely that planning applications will be made ahead of the Local Plan adoption and any subsequent Development Briefs or SPD’s. Q-T5: Public Health Warwickshire are pleased to see a good range of sustainable travel choices. Public Health Warwickshire are pleased to see that the principles of a 20-minute neighbourhood are being considered given the significant health benefits and connectively this will provide to communities. Public Health Warwickshire are pleased to see the South Warwickshire Local Plan should look to align with the Local Transport Plan priorities. Key amenities should be within a reasonable distance for travelling or walking to and provide the opportunity to choose a healthy lifestyle. This includes adequate access to green spaces, education and health facilities, reasonably priced healthy food choices and limitations on unhealthy lifestyle outlets. Local amenities, such as community/health centres, schools, and food stores should be within a 5-minute walkable distance, reducing the need for car use, promote physical activity and integrate facilities and services into the heart of the community where they can be well used by all. Having facilities within a reasonable distance to travel to will help to reduce loneliness and social isolation of residents in the neighbourhood. Has consideration been given to new developments and how they will integrate into existing buildings and connection? Will people be able to travel from new to existing facilities and services? Warwickshire County Council Public Health in line with national evidence base encourage the design of places with a good mix of housing to enable people to integrate and connect into their community no matter what their living arrangements where. The “Determinants of and Barriers to Active Travel in Coventry and Warwickshire” report published in June 2021 (taken from the Warwickshire County Council Director of Public Health Annual Report 2022 https://api.warwickshire.gov.uk/documents/WCCC-1350011118-3190) identified that: • For commuting, concern about lack of cycle routes and road safety were the biggest barriers • For educational trips, distance was the biggest barrier • For shopping trips, carrying a heavy load was the biggest barrier • Health is identified both as a driver and barrier (due to specific conditions) for Active Travel • Those living in buildings where some safety features are present are more likely to use their bike, evidencing that safe storage is a contributory factor • Individuals were worried about their safety in separate bike lanes as they were worried cars can pass into them • Individuals said they would respond to positive incentives (such as safe lanes or group active travel) as opposed to negative incentives (removing or charging for work parking) (Sen S, Patel R. Determinants of and barriers to active travel in Coventry and Warwickshire. 2021 Jun 1.)
Q-B1: Option B1a seems the sensible approach for a Plan covering the geographic area of the two LPAs. Q-B3: Option B3a seems the sensible approach for a Plan covering the geographic area of the two LPAs. Q-B5: Option B5a would seem to be the best approach for providing clarity.
