The TCPA has long championed that the way places are planned, designed, built and managed has a significant influence over whether communities are able to live healthy lives. The built and natural environments are important determinants of health and shape health inequalities.
We support councils and communities with advice about planning healthier, more active environments and how to ensure that plans and policies help deliver public health objectives. Evidence shows that creating ‘complete, compact and connected’ neighbourhoods – otherwise known as 20-minute neighbourhoods – results in places that are healthier to live in and contribute to climate targets.
The TCPA has published a range of influential reports and practical guidance documents which can be found in our Resource library.
Contact
Please contact Gemma Hyde for further information.
Workshops
Healthy Local Plans and policies
The TCPA has extensive experience of helping councils use public health data to strengthen their Local Plans and policies to ensure new development supports good health for all. We can provide bespoke practical advice for your area.
Healthy Homes Campaign
This campaign calls on government to adopt our Healthy Homes Bill, which would require all new homes and neighbourhoods to be of decent quality, and effectively outlaw those which undermine residents’ health and wellbeing.
Food environments
The TCPA is exploring how to support empowering food environments that enable people to make healthy choices.
TCPA healthy place-making publications
A collection of the TCPA’s healthy place-making publications
Useful healthy place-making resources
A collection of helpful healthy place-making resources from external organisations
Resources
The importance of democratic planning
Evidence from the Town and Country Planning Association for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill committee (April 2025)
Practical Hope: Woodgate Community Shop
Woodgate Community Shop is more than just a business. It has played a pivotal role in facilitating community cohesion between new and existing community members in Woodgate, West Sussex.
News & Blog
The TCPA is excited to launch our vision for 21st Century New Towns
Our new publication is a prompt to help communities express what they want to see from future new towns Where…
Building homes that ensure safety from crime
The safety of our homes and neighbourhoods is a vital, if sometimes overlooked, determinant of health. Good urban planning and…
Why all new homes must minimise noise and light pollution
To ensure better and more inclusive health outcomes, the TCPA has identified 12 Healthy Homes Principles that all new housing developments must…
