consultation draft active design · improving the health of their local population and for public...

Active Design Planning for health through sport and physical activity.

Sport England Consultation Draft - June 2015

CONSULTATION DRAFT Active Design Planning for Health through Sport and Physical Activity June 2015 Prepared by David Lock Associates On behalf of Sport England Sport England Logo…….. PHE logo DLA Logo NB. This consultation draft has been circulated with accompanying representative artwork. The artwork was prepared at a different stage to this draft, and therefore discrepancies between the two may exist. In event of those discrepancies, the work in this consultation draft report takes precedent over the artwork draft.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

To be provided at final draft stage

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CONTENTS – note page numbers tbc….

Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................... 3 1.0 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 6 2.0 The Principles of Active Design ............................................................................................ 13

1. ACTIVITY FOR ALL ............................................................................................................... 15 2. WALKABLE COMMUNITIES ................................................................................................. 17 3. CONNECTED WALKING & CYCLING ROUTES .................................................................. 19 4. CO-LOCATION OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES ..................................................................... 23 5. NETWORK OF MULTIFUNCTIONAL GREEN SPACE ......................................................... 25 6. HIGH QUALITY STREETS AND SPACES ............................................................................ 27 7. SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE ...................................................................................... 29 8. MANAGEMENT & MAINTENANCE . ..................................................................................... 31 9. ACTIVE DESIGN IN BUILDINGS. .......................................................................................... 32 10. Activity Promotion & Local Champions ............................................................................... 34

3.0 Process, Delivery and Application – How do we do it? ...................................................... 35 Case Studies .................................................................................................................................... 35 4.0 How to Use Active Design ...................................................................................................... 41 How planners and neighbourhood plan making bodies can use Active Design ............. 41 Model Policy for Active Design.............................................................................................. 42 How health professionals can use Active Design ............................................................... 43 How developers can use Active Design ............................................................................... 44

Appendices (to be confirmed) ........................................................................................................ 45 Appendix A: List of References ............................................................................................. 46 Appendix B: Glossary ............................................................................................................. 47 Appendix C: CONTACTS ........................................................................................................ 48

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1.0 INTRODUCTION Taking part in regular physical activity is a key part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Too few of us are doing enough physical activity to stay healthy. This could have significant long term implications for the health and quality of life of millions of people. Active Design has been commissioned by Sport England, in partnership with Public Health England, to take a fresh look at the opportunities to encourage and promote sport and physical activity within our built environment, and support a step change towards healthier and more active lifestyles. Active Design builds upon the foundations set by the original guidance, published by Sport England in March 20071, and provides up to date guidance to assist town planners, urban designers and health professionals engaged in shaping our existing and future built environments to maximise opportunities for communities to be naturally active as part of their daily life.

Active Design is Sport England’s contribution to the wider debate on healthy communities. Active Design is rooted in Sport England’s aims and objectives in promoting the role of sport and recreation in creating sustainable communities. Clear linkages are made to other sources of guidance from partners promoting this agenda from across a broad spectrum of interests including planning, design, health, transport and sport.

Active Design forms part of Sport England’s suite of guidance and is intended to unify both health and planning, by providing guidance to create the right conditions for individuals to lead active and healthy lifestyles.

Active Design draws from three key Active Design objectives of Accessibility, Amenity and Awareness (established in the 2007 Active Design guidance) to identify ten Active Design Principles that focus on those ingredients of cities, towns and villages that offer neighbourhoods and communities the widest opportunities to promote participation of all members of society in physical activity and sport. Practical case studies and pointers to best practice set out how planners, health professionals and developers can work together to provide more active and healthier environments.

1 Active Design Promoting opportunities for sport and physical activity through good design 6



The need for Active Design to be updated

There has been significant change in the background context since the publication of Active Design in 2007:

a. Change in the planning landscape – the introduction of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), National Planning Policy Guidance and Neighbourhood Planning sets a new context for planning for sport and physical activity. The NPPF gives a sharpened focus to the need to promote healthy communities, which is recognised as a key ingredient in achieving sustainable development.

b. Organisational change –Since 2013 upper tier Local Authorities have been responsible for improving the health of their local population and for public health services through Health and Wellbeing Boards. This offers new opportunities for close and continuous collaboration between planning and health functions.

c. Evolving Evidence Base – there have been numerous initiatives and research publications from a range of relevant stakeholders (including both Sport England and Public Health England) exploring the interaction between environment, health and physical activity from within academia, health, sports, environment, planning and design sectors2.

d. Raised profile of the need to promote activity for health and wellbeing – the need to tackle inactivity is being more clearly recognised across society in general and in the health, planning and design sectors.

e. Public Health England is charged with improving the health of the nation and reducing

health inequalities. Public Health England has a clearly defined role in delivering Public Health Outcomes including increasing the proportion of physically active adults.3 [PHE to add].

2 A selected list of relevant publications can be found at Appendix xx 3 Public Health England Public Health Outcomes Framework

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Health and Active Design There is a growing body of evidence of the benefits of physical activity, and the disbenefits of physical inactivity: Being active reduces the risk of a range of preventable diseases, and conditions such as dementia and depression. It is also shown to improve children’s educational attainment, can boost productivity in the workplace and reduce sickness absence, and can also reduce crime and anti-social behaviour4. Physical inactivity is responsible for 1 in 6 deaths in the UK.5 It has adverse effects on health and the quality of life at all ages and across all sectors of society. The financial costs of this in-activity are estimated at approximately £20 billion6

Image Source: Sport England Health Infographic

4 Everybody Active, Every Day, Public Health England (PHE), October 2014 5 Lee I - M, et al. (2012) Effect of physical inactivity on major non - communicable diseases worldwide: an analysis of burden of disease and life expectancy. The Lancet 380: 219 – 29 cited at Everybody Active Everyday page 8 6 Designed to Move (Nike and Other Partners), 2013

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Active individuals are those that meet the Department of Health published physical activity guidelines for early childhood, children, adults and older adults.

Physical activity guidelines can be met in a number of different ways. As well as sport and exercise, active travel such as brisk walking and cycling, carrying heavy loads such as groceries or gardening can be equally as effective as part of a daily routine.

National Guidelines for Activity for Adults (19-64 years old):

• New physical activity guidelines were launched in July 2011. For adults (19–64 year olds) and older adults (65+) the minimum recommended levels of activity are:

• At least 150 minutes (two and half hours) each week of moderate intensity physical activity, in bouts of

10 minutes or more (for example 30 minutes moderate activity on at least 5 days a week).

• For all adults up to age 65 and for those older adults who are already regularly active at moderate intensity, comparable benefits can be achieved through 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity spread across the week or a combination of moderate and vigorous intensity activity.

• All adults should aim to be active daily; muscle strengthening activity should also be included on at least two days per week.

• Older adults at risk of falls should incorporate physical activity to improve balance and co-ordination on at least two days per week.

• In addition, all adults are advised to minimise the time spent being sedentary for extended periods.

• Guidance for children is split between early years (under 5s) and early years (under 5s capable of walking) and children and young people (5 to 18 years):

• Early years (under 5s):

• Physical activity should be encouraged from birth, particularly through floor-based play and water-based activities in safe environments.

• All under 5s should minimise the amount of time spent being sedentary (being restrained or sitting) for extended periods (except time spent sleeping).

• Early years (under 5s capable of walking):

• Children of pre-school age who are capable of walking unaided should be physically active daily for at least 180 minutes (3 hours), spread throughout the day.*

• All under 5s should minimise the amount of time spent being sedentary (being restrained or sitting) for extended periods (except time spent sleeping).

• * Most UK pre-school children currently spend 120–150 minutes a day in physical activity, so achieving this guideline would mean adding another 30–60 minutes per day.

• Children and young people (5 to 18 years):

• Physical activity should be encouraged from birth, particularly through floor-based play and water-based activities in safe environments.

• All children and young people should engage in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity for at least 60 minutes and up to several hours every day.

• Vigorous intensity activities, including those that strengthen muscle and bone, should be incorporated at least three days a week.

• All children and young people should minimise the amount of time spent being sedentary (sitting) for extended periods.

• Individual physical and mental capabilities should be considered when interpreting the guidelines Source: Department of Health, Active People Survey

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Developing Active Design Principles Active Design has development 10 Active Design Principles to inspire and inform the design and layout of towns, neighbourhoods, streets and open spaces to promote physical activity and active lifestyles. These have evolved from the original Active Design Objectives (The 3 A’s):

a. Improving Accessibility - providing easy, safe and convenient access to a choice of opportunities for participating in sport and physical activity and active travel for the whole community;

b. Enhancing Amenity - promoting environmental quality in the design and layout of new sports and recreational facilities, their links and relationship to other buildings and the wider public realm; and

c. Increasing Awareness - raising the prominence and legibility of sports and recreation facilities and opportunities for physical activity through the design and layout of development.

A literature review of health, sport, design, planning and transport publications and liaison with relevant stakeholders has confirmed the ongoing relevance of the 3 A’s, and also influenced new directions and policy initiatives. A list of the reviewed guidance and studies can be found at appendix 2).

The new context set by the National Planning Policy Framework, and National Planning Policy Guidance is a further strong influence. This offers new opportunities for the planning of environments at the neighbourhood level, and provides new mechanisms for the protection of open spaces and community assets.

Together these influences have informed the identification of Ten Active Design Principles set out in the following pages that express the 3A’s in a new and highly relevant form.

Accessibility

Awareness Amenity

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INSET BOX The Ten Active Design Principles are grounded in the promotion of a healthy community as expressed within policy within the National Planning Policy Framework and advice contained within the National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG):

• The promotion of strong, vibrant and healthy communities is fundamental to the social role of planning in promoting sustainable development (NPPF 7)

• Supporting local strategies to improve health, delivering community and cultural facilities, making the fullest possible use of public transport, walking and cycling and seeking high quality design are Core Planning Principles (NPPF 17)

• Promoting healthy communities is a key strand of policy with local communities engaged in shaping for places which promote safe and accessible environments, strong neighbourhood centres, and active continually used public areas (NPPF 69)

• Planning positively for shared space and community facilities, and protecting existing facilities and services (NPPF 70)

• Promoting access to high quality open spaces and opportunities for sport and recreation using up to date assessments of need, and protecting existing open space, sport and recreational buildings. (NPPF 73 and 74)

• Include strategic planning policies for the provision of health and community infrastructure (NPPF 156) including planning strategically across local boundaries under the duty to cooperate on planning issues (NPPF 178).

• Work with public health leads and health organisations to understand and take account of the health status and needs of the local population (such as for sports, recreation and places of worship) (NPPF 171)

National Planning Policy Guidance Paragraph: 002 Reference ID: 53-002-20140306 What are the links between health and planning? The link between planning and health has been long established. The built and natural environments are major determinants of health and wellbeing. The importance of this role is highlighted in the promoting health communities section. This is further supported by the three dimensions to sustainable development (see National Planning Policy Framework paragraph 7)… …The range of issues that could be considered through the plan-making and decision-making processes, in respect of health and healthcare infrastructure, include how:

• development proposals can support strong, vibrant and healthy communities and help create healthy living environments which should, where possible, include making physical activity easy to do and create places and spaces to meet to support community engagement and social capital;

• the local plan promotes health, social and cultural wellbeing and supports the reduction of health inequalities;

• the local plan considers the local health and wellbeing strategy and other relevant health improvement strategies in the area;

• the healthcare infrastructure implications of any relevant proposed local development have been considered;

• opportunities for healthy lifestyles have been considered (e.g. planning for an environment that supports people of all ages in making healthy choices, helps to promote active travel and physical activity, and promotes access to healthier food, high quality open spaces and opportunities for play, sport and recreation);

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• potential pollution and other environmental hazards, which might lead to an adverse impact

on human health, are accounted for in the consideration of new development proposals; and • access to the whole community by all sections of the community, whether able-bodied or

disabled, has been promoted. Paragraph: 005 Reference ID: 53-005-20140306 What is a healthy community? A healthy community is a good place to grow up and grow old in. It is one which supports healthy behaviours and supports reductions in health inequalities. It should enhance the physical and mental health of the community and, where appropriate, encourage:

Active healthy lifestyles that are made easy through the pattern of development, good urban design, good access to local services and facilities; green open space and safe places for active play and food growing, and is accessible by walking and cycling and public transport.

The creation of healthy living environments for people of all ages which supports social interaction. It meets the needs of children and young people to grow and develop, as well as being adaptable to the needs of an increasingly elderly population and those with dementia and other sensory or mobility impairments.

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2.0 THE PRINCIPLES OF ACTIVE DESIGN Ten Principles of Active Design are listed below and are expanded upon over the following pages supported by key facts, relevant illustrations and references for further information.

The principles overlap and must be present to create holistic ‘Active Design’. Active Design principles are designed to ensure that new developments, along with the regeneration and enhancement of existing development, offer individuals and communities the greatest potential to lead active and healthy lifestyles.

Across England, communities live in a range of urban and rural settings from dense cities to sparsely populated villages in rural areas. These principles are targeted at identifying the drivers of active environments in these different settings, but will need to take local circumstances into account so that they respond appropriately to the different opportunities in different areas.

The principles apply equally to the design of new places and the enhancement of existing places.

The 10 Principles of Active Design:

1. Activity for All Neighbourhoods, facilities and open spaces should be accessible to all users and should support physical activity across all ages.

• Enabling those who want to be active, whilst encouraging those who are inactive to become active.

2. Walkable Communities Homes, schools, shops, community facilities, workplaces, open spaces and sports facilities should be within easy reach of each other.

• Creating the conditions for active travel between all locations.

3. Connected Walking & Cycling Routes

All destinations should be connected by a direct, legible and integrated network of walking and cycling routes. Routes must be safe, well lit, overlooked, welcoming, well-maintained, durable and clearly signposted. Active travel (walking and cycling) should be prioritised over other modes of transport.

• Prioritising active travel through safe integrated walking and cycling routes.

4. Co-location of Community Facilities The co-location and concentration of retail, community and associated uses to support linked trips should be promoted. A mix of land uses and activities that avoid the uniform zoning of large areas to single uses should be promoted.

• Creating multiple reasons to visit a destination, minimising the number and length of

trips.

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5. Network of Multifunctional Green Space

A network of multifunctional green space should be created across all communities (existing and proposed) to support a range of activities including sport, recreational and play and other landscape features including SuDS, woodland, wildlife habitat and productive landscapes (allotments, orchards). Facilities for sport, recreation and play should be positioned in prominent locations, co-located with other appropriate uses whilst ensuring appropriate relationships with neighbouring uses.

• Providing spaces opens up opportunities for sport and recreation and has numerous

wider benefits. 6. High Quality Streets and Spaces

Flexible and durable high-quality streets and public spaces should be promoted, employing high quality durable materials, street furniture and signage.

• Encouraging people to use streets and spaces that support a variety of users and activities

7. Appropriate Infrastructure Supporting ancillary infrastructure to enable sport and physical activity to take place should be

provided across all contexts including workplaces, sports facilities and public space, to facilitate all forms of activity.

• Facilitates active access to facilities to all members of society.

8. Management & Maintenance

The viability, management and long-term maintenance of sports facilities and public spaces should be considered in their design.

• A high standard of maintenance is essential to maintain the attractiveness of open

spaces. 9. Active Buildings

The internal and external layout, design and use of buildings should promote opportunities for physical activity.

• Providing activity inside buildings, rather than just between buildings.

10. Activity Promotion & Local Champions

Promoting the importance of physical activity as a means of improving health and well-being should be supported. Health promotion measures and local champions should be supported to inspire participation in physical activity across neighbourhoods, workplaces and facilities.

• Physical measures need to be matched by community and stakeholder action.

[Principles (with icons) spread out across 2 facing pages / double page spread]

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1. ACTIVITY FOR ALL

Neighbourhoods, facilities and open spaces should be accessible to all users and should support physical activity across all ages.

- Enabling those who want to be active, whilst encouraging those who are inactive to become active.

Different groups within society have different rates of participation in sport and all types of physical activity. Reducing health inequalities is a matter of fairness and social justice and is a clear policy priority. To reduce health inequalities, particular attention should be given to promoting access to active places for more disadvantaged groups; people living in a deprived community are six times more likely to have had no previous experience of outdoors activity.7

There should be no barriers to making our streets and open spaces accessible to all members of society regardless of age, culture, gender or ability.

Creating provision for activity for all ages requires the integration of play and recreation opportunities for toddlers, children and teenagers. Establishing activity patterns in early years sets a precedent for the rest of young people’s lives. When children are engaged in physical activity it often encourages the whole family to get involved in activities too, bringing intergenerational benefits through activity that extend beyond the children through to parents, grandparents and the wider circle of family and friends.

Given the demographic trends towards an ageing population it is equally essential that people of senior years have more and better opportunities to be active (see Principle 7). High proportions of senior citizens are not meeting the recommended activity rates for their age range. More and better provision is required to create opportunities to be active, ranging from safe walking and cycling to specific sports provision. The benefits of regular physical activity extend beyond individuals health and well-being but can also have a significant impact on helping to promote preventative health care for older groups.

Further, specific measures should be taken in areas where there are known inequalities to consider the identified needs of particular ethnic groups or to encourage greater participation by females. This might not require distinct facilities or designs, but could mean that the management of the space is targeted to reach out to particular groups.

Key Facts

• People living in the most deprived areas of the UK are twice as likely to be physically inactive as those living in more prosperous areas8

• 45% of women and 33% of men are not active enough for good health 9

• By the age of 75, nine out of ten people are not active enough for good health10

• Cycling makes up just 2% of all trips in the UK, one of the lowest rates in the EU. In the Netherlands, cycling makes up 26% of all trips 11

7 Getting Active Outdoors: a study of Demography, Motivation, Participation and Provision in Outdoor Sport and Recreation in England. Sport England. June 2015 8 Active People Survey 2013 – 2014 9 Public Health England, Everybody Active Every Day, 2014 10 The Health and Social Care Information Centre 2010 - http://www.hscic.gov.uk/pubs/hse09trends 11 Department for Transport, 2010 – Active Travel Strategy - Page 41

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http://www.hscic.gov.uk/pubs/hse09trends



Pointers to Best Practice

• Provide a range and mix of facilities and open spaces to encourage physical activity across all

neighbourhoods.

• Manage facilities and open spaces to encourage a range of activities to allow all to take part, including activities for all genders, all ages and all cultures:

o Provide spaces and opportunities for slower paced activities, such as walking football, lawn bowling or slower speed swimming, encouraging older people to be involved. Couple this with the provision of infrastructure to facilitate activity (See principle 7). See Age UK’s Fit as a Fiddle and Get Going Together projects for examples of this in practice12.

o Encourage behavioural change in providing activity opportunities for women. See Women in Sport Guidance – What Sways Women to Play Sport13

o Encourage activity for all, promoting activity across all walks of life (see principle 10).

• Specifically focus a greater range of activity opportunities in more deprived areas or where

there are known to be particular health issues.

• Use varied promotion initiatives and methods to reach all members of society and to target hard to reach groups.

• Informal activity facilities should also be provided, such as greenline14 (running, jogging or cycling) routes and areas suitable for park run15, outdoor fitness classes or other informal activity.

• All facilities should be supported as appropriate by public conveniences, water fountains and where appropriate changing facilities to further increase their appeal to all. Public spaces and routes should have generous levels of seating provided.

More info - Public Health England, Everybody Active Every Day, 2014

- Marmot Review

- Planning Healthy Weight Environments

- Fields in Trust

- Urban Design Compendium

- Playing Pitch Strategy Guidance (Sport England, 2013)

- Assessing Needs and Opportunities Guidance (Sport England, 2014)

- Public Health and Landscape: Creating Healthy Places (Landscape Institute, 2013)

- Building Healthy Places Toolkit (Urban Land Institute, 2015)

- Active by Design – Designing places for healthy lives (Design Council, 2014)

12 http://www.ageuk.org.uk/health-wellbeing/fit-as-a-fiddle/about-fit-as-a-fiddle/ http://www.ageuk.org.uk/health-wellbeing/fit-as-a-fiddle/getgoingtogether/ 13 What Sways Women to Play Sport? Using Influencers to Unlock Opportunities That Positively Impact Women’s Sporting Behaviours – Women in Sport – April 2015 14 See http://www.englandathletics.org/clubs--community/greenline-marked-running-routes 15 See: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/

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http://www.ageuk.org.uk/health-wellbeing/fit-as-a-fiddle/about-fit-as-a-fiddle/

http://www.englandathletics.org/clubs--community/greenline-marked-running-routes



2. WALKABLE COMMUNITIES

Homes, schools, shops, community facilities, workplaces, open spaces and sports facilities should be within easy reach of each other.

• Creating the conditions for active travel between all locations.

Walking and cycling are one of the easiest ways in which people can stay active. The benefits of walkable communities are recognised and well established in planning and design literature. Local facilities such as shops, schools and open spaces can bring residents together, reinforce communities and reduce reliance on private transport 16

The attractiveness of walking and cycling is affected by distance, the nature and quality of a route and its conviviality and security.

Neighbourhoods should be laid out around the concept of walkable communities. All residents and workers should be within easy and convenient walking and cycling distance to key facilities including local centres, schools, shops, sports, play areas and public facilities.

The layout of neighbourhood can be further supplemented by specific initiatives such as a ‘school walking bus’ to encourage and establish walking and active travel as the natural choice for local journeys.17

Key Facts

Trips under one mile make up 18% of all trips. 78% of trips under one mile were walking trips.18

67% of trips were under 5 miles in England of which 55.4% were by car, 33% by foot and 2% by bike19

The average trip to primary school is 1.6 miles, and to secondary school is 3.7 miles.20


A diverse mix of land uses should be promoted within walking distance: homes, schools and jobs should be within easy access of local facilities and open spaces, generally:

• within 800m walking distance

• within 5km cycling distance ideally. 21

Large single purpose land uses should be avoided where possible.

Brooklands – Example of distributing a number of play areas evenly through the proposed development to ensure that facilities are within easy walking distance for all potential users.

16 The Urban Design Compendium (English Partnerships, 2000) 17 See - http://www.co-operative.coop/green-schools-revolution/for-teachers/walking-buses/ 18 Sustrans report on NTS 19 National Travel Survey 2014 20 National Travel Survey 2014 21 Insert reference IHT

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More info

- CIHT Planning for Cycling

- Planning Healthy Weight Environments

- NICE Local Government Briefing on Walking and Cycling

- Sustrans - Active Travel: Related academic evidence

- Manual for Streets and MfS II

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3. CONNECTED WALKING & CYCLING ROUTES

All destinations should be connected by a direct, clear and integrated network of walking and cycling routes. Routes must be safe, well lit, overlooked, welcoming, well-maintained, durable and clearly signposted. Active travel (walking and cycling) should be prioritised over other modes of transport.

- Prioritising active travel through safe integrated walking and cycling routes

The quality and continuity of routes for pedestrians and cyclists has a key influence on their attractiveness and ability to support active travel. Routes should be direct, legible and integrated as part of a wider network. Any barriers to pedestrian and cycle movement such as busy routes or intersections should be carefully addressed to accommodate, prioritise and encourage walking and cycling.

The use of public transport is complementary to walking and cycling with the initial stages of all journeys being on foot (or by bicycle). Foot and cycle networks should pay particular attention to integrating with public transport nodes and networks.

Providing a connected network of walking and cycling routes also creates leisure and recreational opportunities for people to run or cycle.

Active travel (walking and cycling) should be prioritised over other modes of transport as this provides the greatest opportunity for people to be physically active in their day to day lives.

(DIAGRAM) The hierarchy of movement to support Active Travel:

i. Walking: pedestrians come first. Walking should be prioritised over all other transport as it is the most accessible for all people. The rights of pedestrians should come first, including disabled people and the mobility impaired.

ii. Cycling: cycling is the next priority; as they move at higher speed cyclists must have due consideration of pedestrians.

iii. Public transport: buses and trains should have priority over private cars as these are more sustainable modes of mass transport and often support active travel as part of the journey.

iv. Private vehicles: cars, lorries, vans etc. should be designed for in the creation of safe, accessible streets, spaces and places but not at the expense of other higher priority modes of transport: private vehicles offer the least potential of activity.

Hierarchy of Movement – Diagram:

Key Facts:

Distance

Walking

Cycling

Public Transport

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• A quarter of British adults now walk for less than nine minutes a day – including time spent

getting to the car, work and the shops.22

• Around 23 million bicycles are owned in the UK, across almost half the population. However, only 15% of the population cycle once a week or more, and around 65% don’t cycle at all.23

• The average time spent travelling on foot or by bicycle in Britain has decreased from 12.9 minutes per day in 1995-1997 to 11 minutes per day in 2007.24“If 75% of people failing to exercise enough across the country did meet the recommended levels of walking, £675 million could be saved each year”25


• Provide an attractive, direct and integrated network of walking and cycling routes in the master planning process for new developments linking all facilities, homes, jobs and open spaces. These routes should be, where feasible, more direct and shorter than vehicular routes.

• Create new walking and cycling routes in the existing urban fabric, including the redesign of streets to accommodate safe cycling and walking provision, and utilising good urban design principles to promote pedestrian access and priority over vehicular traffic, especially at key crossings and at important community facilities (including schools, shops) where footfall is greatest.

• Walking and cycling routes must be safe, well lit, overlooked, welcoming, well maintained, durable and clearly signposted. Routes should be designed to maintain visibility to avoid blind corners. It is essential that routes are perceived as being safe to all.26. Maintenance is important to provide level surfaces, to control landscape and to promote an attractive high quality environment.

• Good signage is also important: it can also encourage the use of walking and cycling routes, and boost confidence in moving around by walking and cycling.

• Integrate both walking and cycling routes with public transport nodes and networks.

• Provide shared or segregated footways and cycleways within the street corridor, adjacent to the vehicular highway where possible. Kerbs or other delineation should normally be used to define the boundary of the footway / cycleway, providing a greater degree of separation and safety from the vehicular carriageway.

• Walking and cycling leisure routes should also be established running through green infrastructure with the provision of leisure routes through or adjacent to parks, open spaces and other forms of landscape including woods, allotments, orchards. These leisure routes could be located between key destinations, or as circular walks to allow return to a starting location.

• There is a difference in providing for the experienced cyclist and the casual cyclist.

Experienced cyclists may value speed and direct routes and will share road space with

22 Active by Design, Design Council, 2014 23 National Travel Survey, Department for Transport, 2014 24 NICE Local Government Briefing on Walking and Cycling 2014 25 RIBA City Health Check 2012 26 80% of parents state that children get less exercise today because parents are afraid to let them go outside alone, particularly their daughters; Getting Active Outdoors: a study of Demography, Motivation, Participation and Provision in Outdoor Sport and Recreation in England. Sport England. June 2015.

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vehicles, casual cyclists will value safety and often favour segregated off road routes. However, both require routes to be robust, clearly marked, well signposted and appropriately prioritised above private cars to provide safety.

• Active travel can be prioritised by other public realm measures including:

o Reduction of vehicular speed limits (reference to the growing spread of 20mph zones

in urban centres from London Boroughs such as Islington through to settlements nationwide from Plymouth to Dumfries). – see go20 inset box:

o Shared surface schemes which use common street surfacing materials and design treatments to promote access for pedestrians and cyclists.

o Widening of pavements on busy pedestrian streets to balance allocation of road space between vehicles and pedestrians.

o Homezone shared surface street design for lower order streets and spaces.

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More Info Sustrans Design Manual: Handbook for cycle-friendly design (April 2014) NICE – Local Government Briefing on walking and cycling RIBA – City Health Check International Cycling Infrastructure Best Practice Study CIHT – Planning for Cycling Urban Design Compendium (1&2) Manual for Streets (1&2) The GO20 Coalition: http://www.brake.org.uk/go20

Go20 Campaign: GO 20 is a coalition campaign to make walking and cycling safer and reclaim our streets as places where people live. Introducing 20mph speed limits is one of the most important things we can do to achieve this, to bring about fewer road casualties, more walking and cycling, more active lifestyles, less pollution and lower public spending. • Everyone – adults and children – should be able to walk and cycle in their communities, for their health and

enjoyment, and as a sustainable way to get about, without being put in danger. It's a fundamental right.

• Fewer casualties: 20mph is much safer for everyone. Drivers have more time to react in an emergency and avoid hitting someone:

o Your stopping distance at 20mph is half that at 30mph [1]. Where 20mph limits have replaced 30mph limits, there have been dramatic reductions in casualties [2] [3].

o Children benefit especially, since they struggle to judge the speed of vehicles over 20mph [4].

o Every day five children and 20 adults are killed or seriously injured while walking or cycling on UK roads [5]: every one devastating for families, every one entirely preventable.

• Healthy, active lifestyles: reducing casualties isn't the only public health benefit of GO 20. It makes people feel safer, which encourages more walking and cycling.

o Three quarters of parents (74%) say they would walk more if roads were safer [6],

o Almost half (46%) of commuters say they would cycle more [7].

o Where widespread 20mph limits have been introduced, walking and cycling has increased [8].

o As well as giving freedom and enjoyment, this physical activity reduces premature death by 20% [9].

Source: Go20 campaign - http://www.brake.org.uk/go20 Go20 References: [1] The Highway Code, Driving Standards Agency, 2007 [2] 20mph speed reduction initiative, Scottish Executive Central Research Unit, 2001 [3] 20mph Speed Limit Pilots Evaluation Report, Warrington Borough Council, 2010 [4] Reduced sensitivity to visual looming inflates the risk posed by speeding vehicles when children try to cross the road, University of London, 2011 [5] Reported road casualties Great Britain 2012 annual report, Department for Transport, 2013 [6] Bereaved family back Beep Beep! initiative for safer roads for kids as survey reveals parents' fears from fast traffic, Brake, 18 April 2012 [7] Commuters call for safer streets for cycling, to enable more to get on their bikes, Brake, 2 May 2012 [8] Where widespread 20mph limits have been introduced levels of walking and cycling increased by 20%. Citywide Rollout of 20mph speed limits, Bristol City Council Cabinet, 2012 [9] At least five a week – evidence on the impact of physical activity and its relationship to health – a report from the Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, 2004

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http://www.brake.org.uk/go20

http://www.brake.org.uk/campaigns-events/take-action/our-campaigns/10-whats-happening/take-action/791-go20

http://www.brake.org.uk/go20



4. CO-LOCATION OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES

The co-location and concentration of retail, community and associated uses to support linked trips should be promoted. A mix of land uses and activities that avoid the uniform zoning of large areas of land to single uses should be promoted.

- Creating multiple reasons to visit a destination, minimising the number and length of

trips.

• Co-location is the grouping of destinations (such as community facilities like schools, shops, sports and leisure centres) within close proximity of each other, allowing users to make only one linked trip to an area for multiple reasons.

• Linked trips reduce journey time and allow more time for people to linger and be socially interactive, whilst also creating variety and vitality in town centres.

• When interlinked with the walking and cycling networks of an area, these mixed use locations in a compact layout can provide key active travel destinations for people to travel to in an active manner.

• Conversely large uniform land uses tend to lengthen journeys, and do not sustain a mix of activity and users across the day making them less animated. This reduces the opportunities for social interaction and makes active travel less attractive.

• Co-location of sports facilities alongside everyday destinations such as health services can help to raise awareness of opportunities for sport and physical activity. This can also include co-location within the same building.


• In all local contexts, the pattern of development should group key uses (schools, shops, workplaces, homes etc.) to encourage linked trips and create varied and active centres.

• Opportunities should be explored to allow users to stop and linger in public spaces, including seating areas, multi-use landscaping and a well-designed public realm.

• Key locations should be focal points within walking and cycling networks, encouraging social interaction in active and well used spaces.

• Opportunities to co-locate complementary functions (such as health centres and gyms) should be fully explored.

• Sport England promotes a series of technical guidance notes for the design and layout of sports halls and other sports facilities.

Key Facts:

• 65% of people that are currently not active outdoors27 are more likely to participate less than two miles from home28

27 Outdoor Activity = any physical activity in a natural environment (Urban, Water, Mountain & Countryside, Snow, Sky) excludes all outdoor pitch sports, exclude active travel, excludes walking the dog, excludes gardening.

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Portway Lifestyle Centre, Sandwell This Centre was opened in 2013 and includes not only sporting facilities such as 3G football pitches, a gym and sports hall, but health facilities including a doctors surgery and hydrotherapy pool. The centre also includes a dance studio, indoor climbing wall and a swimming pool. All of these facilities are located in one building, successfully marrying health and activity. The leisure facilities have achieved the top level of ‘Excellent’ from the Inclusive Fitness Initiative, one of only 6 centres in the UK. This standard recognises the achievements and commitment of leisure facilities that enable disabled people to become physically active. The accreditation shows the centre has an inclusive platform for disabled and non-disabled people to be active together. This has been achieved by considerate design of the building from inception, with extensive local consultation undertaken. Staff are also trained in disability awareness and gym staff are fully trained in providing opportunities for adapted activity to meet all needs. The centre has a reference group of 51 partners including those from the voluntary, faith, charity and public sectors. The Sandwell Leisure Trust manages the facility, which is a charity organisation associated with the local council. The Sandwell Leisure trust won the National Health Club Awards for best small chain in both 2013 and 2014, partly due to its exemplary management of the Portway Lifestyle Centre. Dr Arun Saini, partner at the doctors’ surgery inside the Centre said, upon the Centre’s opening: “The move to Portway affords us a great opportunity, not only to provide first class health facilities in a state-of-the art building, but also to offer our patients convenient access to facilities that can help them lead a healthier lifestyle. The combination of health and leisure in one building is a major advantage that will have an important impact on the health and wellbeing of local people.”1 For more information, refer to www.slt-leisure.co.uk/leisure-centre/portway-lifestyle-centre. 1 - http://www.communityhealthpartnerships.co.uk/article/portway-lifestyle-centre-topping-out-in-oldbury

More Info Planning Healthy Weight Environments Building Healthy Places Toolkit Urban Design Compendium (1&2)

28 Getting Active Outdoors: a study of Demography, Motivation, Participation and Provision in Outdoor Sport and Recreation in England. Sport England. June 2015.

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http://www.slt-leisure.co.uk/leisure-centre/portway-lifestyle-centre



5. NETWORK OF MULTIFUNCTIONAL GREEN SPACE

A network of multifunctional green space should be created across all communities (existing and proposed) to support a range of activities including sport, recreational and play and other landscape features including SuDS, woodland, wildlife habitat and productive landscapes (allotments, orchards). Facilities for sport, recreation and play should be positioned in prominent locations, co-located with other appropriate uses whilst ensuring appropriate relationships with neighbouring uses.

- Providing spaces opens up opportunities for sport and recreation and has numerous wider

benefits.

Networks of open spaces provide the framework for our towns and cities and provide key opportunities for sport and physical activity. Networks include areas not only for formal activity, but also for more every day informal activity which need not require formal spaces. An example of this are outdoor fitness and other exercise club, such as Park Run.

Formal sporting facilities should be integrated within this green space network, allowing them to take a prominent position in local communities and to play an important social role.

Open space networks also provide the setting for:

- formal pitch provision and play areas; - informal open spaces to provide space for a range of activities and events and

supporting other objectives such as SuDs and habitat creation; - integrated networks of walking and cycle routes, with particular attention to linkages

between open spaces and communities.

Co-locating a mix of recreation activities together provides the opportunity for a number of activity choices to be made at the same location. This also can create sporting hubs, and an opportunity for facilities to share management, creating key sports locations. When this approach is taken, the risk of any potential conflicts between activities should also be considered and be avoided or appropriately managed.

In addition to providing space for activities that encourage physical health, green spaces and planting contribute to positive mental health and well-being29 and support other benefits such as improved air quality.

Providing space for locally grown can have multiple health benefits, from providing local, organic produce, to the physical activity of managing an allotment and social benefits from the provision of community facilities that draw people together to meet, socialise and work together. This has benefits for people of all ages, genders and cultures and can reduce social isolation.


• Open space which is provided can facilitate a range of uses, including sports use and active

recreation, but also functional capacity such as sustainable urban drainage or productive landscapes (food growing areas, allotments, community orchards etc.).

• Sports facilities should be located in prominent positions in the local community, raising awareness of their existence and inspiring people to use them.

• Multiple recreation facilities should be co-located together where possible, to allow a choice of activity in one location, and promote the efficient shared management of facilities.

29 biophillia (the instinctive bond between humans and other living things such as trees, plants etc.) 25



• Sporting facilities should be well signposted and fully integrated within walking and cycling routes.

• Sport and recreation facilities should be designed to accord with appropriate best practice (with reference to guidance from Sport England, National Governing Bodies of Sport and other organisations such as Fields In Trust). This includes creating appropriate relationships between play and sport activities and adjacent residential areas (e.g. minimising disturbance from noise) and maximise opportunities for surveillance. Any potential conflicts of users should be appropriately managed and avoided through design.

• Well-designed open space should provide an accessible setting for development, enhancing the built form whilst providing a high quality public realm for people to utilise.

• New development should provide appropriate green space and planting creating green space which is suitable for an area, and utilising robust planting appropriate to the character of an area.

Key Facts

• 21% of children play outdoors compared with 71% of their parents when they were children. (Active by Design, Design Council, 2014).75% of people who are active in the outdoors30 before they were 25 continue to be active after they reach 25. Of the 25% who stop, 20% return to doing some sort of outdoor activity. Only 5% completely stop. 31

• “Almost 90% of people taking part in a study by Mind said that doing physical exercise outdoors in a natural environment was either important or very important in how they felt” (Public Health and Landscape, Creating Healthy Places. 2013)

More Info

• Assessment of Needs and Opportunities Guidance • Fields in Trust • Everybody Active, Every Day (Public Health England, 2014) • Planning Healthy Weight Environments (TCPA, 2014) • Planning Horizons: Promoting Healthy Cities (RTPI, 2014) • City Health Check (RIBA, 2013) • Manual for Streets (DCLG and DfT, 2010) • Playing Pitch Strategy Guidance (Sport England, 2013) • ‘Nature Nearby’ Accessible Natural Greenspace Guidance (Natural England, 2010) • Public Health and Landscape: Creating Healthy Places (Landscape Institute, 2013) • Facilities Strategy 2014 – 2019 (UK Athletics, 2014) • Building Healthy Places Toolkit (Urban Land Institute, 2015) • Planning for Sport Guidance (Sport England, Various) • National Planning Policy Framework and National Planning Practice Guidance (DCLG,

2012)

30 Outdoor Activity = any physical activity in a natural environment (Urban, Water, Mountain & Countryside, Snow, Sky) excludes all outdoor pitch sports, exclude active travel, excludes walking the dog, excludes gardening. 31 Getting Active Outdoors: a study of Demography, Motivation, Participation and Provision in Outdoor Sport and Recreation in England. Sport England June 2015.

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6. HIGH QUALITY STREETS AND SPACES

Flexible and high-quality streets and public spaces should be promoted, employing durable materials, street furniture and signage.

• Encouraging people to use streets and spaces that support a variety of users and

activities

Public events have the ability to support a range of civic, cultural and community functions such as markets, public art, open-air performances, sports demonstrations etc.

These events provide an opportunity for people to come together and meet, which is increasingly important in our culture where people are increasingly isolated. Social interaction is proven to have significant health benefits both physically and mentally.

High quality streets and spaces encourage activity: poor quality streets and spaces are much less likely to be utilised. It is important that where public space is to be improved or provided that account is taken of its scale, function, layout and design to attract the greatest number of users to allow the space to create a high quality space that can become a valued community resource and contribute to and create a sense of place. Well-designed public spaces should also support ‘pop-up’ events such as table tennis, mini-football, tennis etc.,

Streets are about more than just vehicular through-routes or highways dominated by vehicular traffic. The greater the concentration of a mixture of uses (homes with shops, employment, leisure, education etc.) the greater the attraction for pedestrian movements which should be encouraged and promoted. Streets in settlement centres should be designed to prioritise pedestrians and cyclists over vehicular traffic and speeds should be controlled accordingly.


• Public space should be designed to be multifunctional, allowing for a multitude of events and activities to take place within a space. Appropriate provision should be made to promote access to all users.

• It is important that new civic space is of a scale and proportion to allow for a range of possible functions, and to allow for changing activity trends and habits.

• The design of public spaces is often best achieved through simple, well-proportioned designs. The greater the clarity of the design the easier it is likely to be maintained and the more flexible it will be to accommodate a range of events and activities. Street furniture should be carefully sited to avoid clutter and obstruction.

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• All spaces should exemplify best urban design practice, and use high quality and durable

materials.

Key Facts

• Streets and parks designed to be safer and more attractive were the most common changes people reported would encourage them to walk more, according to RIBAs Healthy Cities Report 2012.

• In Phase 4 of the World Healthy Organisation Healthy Cities Program, 35% of respondents stated that urban form and environment quality were the most important Healthy Urban Planning issues in their city.32

More info

- Manual for Streets, Urban Design Compendium

- Active By Design, Design Council

- Building Healthy Places Toolkit

32 Urban Planning for Healthy Cities: A Review of the Progress of the European Healthy Cities Programme, Barton et al. 2012.

Beat the Street This is a concept designed to encourage communities to walk to their destinations rather than travelling by car. Participants can collect ID cards from local centres and then these cards are ‘tapped’ on ‘Beat Box’ sensors which are located throughout an area, then progress can be tracked online. Small prizes are awarded at random for successful ‘taps’, with prize chances increasing as more personal miles are walked. Beat the Street is funded by the NHS, Public Health England and local councils across the country in partnership. Beat the Street was trailed in Reading in both 2014 and 2015. The target is to walk a communal total of 300,000 miles in an 8 week period. If the target is met, £4000 will be donated to a local charity. This money is provided by local philanthropists and sponsors of the scheme. The scheme has been very successful, with 260,000 miles walked in the first 8 week period in 2014, and 250,000 miles walked at the time of writing, 6 weeks into the 2015 timeframe. The ‘game’ type approach has been popular with both adults and children, and prizes being awarded have further incentivised the scheme. This scheme shows the potential of technology, and for relatively little infrastructural and monetary outlay, the activity gains that can be made. More information can be found at http://reading.beatthestreet.me/about and http://beatthestreet.me/

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7. SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE

Supporting ancillary infrastructure to enable sport and physical activity to take place should be provided across all contexts including workplaces, sports facilities and public space, to facilitate all forms of activity.

- Facilitates active access to facilities to all members of society.

In addition to making positive decisions for active design at the broader level (for instance location of facilities as part of comprehensive green infrastructure networks) it is important to appropriately address detail design matters which make big difference to people’s ability to make active lifestyle choices. Public conveniences, drinking fountains, cycle and pushchair storage, changing rooms, Wi-Fi access, shelter and showers should be provided where appropriate to meet the needs of a range of potential users. Younger people may be attracted by free Wi-Fi or the presence of specific facilities (skate board equipment). Older people may be attracted to use an area or a facility by seating, drinking fountains or public conveniences. Changing rooms and showers at journey destinations or workplaces can play a key role in encouraging active travel, or sport and physical activity during lunch periods.


• Public conveniences: provision of public toilets and changing facilities is important for all, especially people with young children and the elderly. When provision is inadequate it can be an unnecessary obstacle to allowing people to get out and enjoy active lifestyles. More public conveniences are required in almost all towns and cities, both in settlement centres, and also in support of other facilities, for instance to support sports pitches.

• Drinking fountains: opportunities for public water fountains should be integrated into the design of new public spaces and buildings such as cafés, leisure centres and pools.

• Cycle storage: safe and secure cycle parking is required adjacent to the entrance of all public buildings and should also be provided at all places at work. To encourage cycling to school appropriate provision should be made at schools, with cycle parking given prominent location in school grounds and additional cycle parking for parents and carers too who may accompany their children on bikes.

• Wi-Fi: As technology evolves, the internet provides opportunities to further encourage activity through both promotion and encouragement. However, the need for internet is becoming apparent to encourage people to use a space, and this should also be considered.

• Pushchair Storage: Providing space for pushchairs and prams to be stored is important when encouraging families and parents with young children to utilise a space. This should be considered if these are the desired users of an area.

• Showers: Availability of showers, lockers and changing rooms at workplaces can encourage active travel and sport and physical activity during lunch periods.

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Key Facts:

• The Bicycle Friendly America League state that providing high quality, sage and convenient cycle parking throughout the community is an essential attribute of a bike friendly community. 33

• Cities that have implemented bicycle sharing programs report substantial increases in bicycling. For example, the proportion of trips made by bicycle increased from 1 percent to 2.5 percent in Paris and from 0.75 percent to 1.76 percent in Barcelona34.

More info

- Fields in Trust - Urban Design Compendium - Everybody Active, Every Day (Public Health England, 2014) - Public Health and Landscape: Creating Healthy Places (Landscape Institute, 2013) - Building Healthy Places Toolkit (Urban Land Institute, 2015) - Active by Design – Designing places for healthy lives (Design Council, 2014)

33 http://bikeleague.org/sites/default/files/Attributes_of_BFC.pdf 34 Active Living Research, Research Brief, May 2013

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http://bikeleague.org/sites/default/files/Attributes_of_BFC.pdf



8. MANAGEMENT & MAINTENANCE The viability, management and long-term maintenance of sports facilities and public spaces should be considered in their design.

- A high standard of maintenance is essential to maintain the attractiveness of open spaces. People are more likely to be attracted to participate in sport and physical activity if the spaces and facilities they use are attractive to them and offer them a safe and enjoyable experience. The quality of management and maintenance of public spaces and facilities is key to providing this experience but also projecting an attractive image of the activity. All spaces and sports facilities should be well maintained and kept in a state which will encourage their use. The management of public spaces and sports facilities should be monitored to make sure facilities function as desired. Proposals for new facilities or spaces should consider the long term maintenance implications and should identify funding streams to provide viable long term management. As well as practical maintenance it is important to promote affinity between spaces and facilities and the local community. This could include engaging residents in the management of spaces and facilities or in their design and planning. Pointers to Best Practice

• A strong focus is required on maintenance and upkeep of facilities and public spaces across

their lifetime including issues such as the servicing of grass pitches, the impact of noise, floodlighting or vehicular access.

• Thorough consultation should be undertaken with local residents when planning new developments and facilities. This will give insight into community aspirations, but also provide an opportunity for residents to ‘take ownership’ of a scheme from the very beginning, encouraging their use of a facility and civic pride.

• Facilities and public spaces should be designed which are both functional operationally,

attractive and can be easily maintained and managed. Robust and durable materials will help this, as will locating facilities in well surveyed areas to improve security.

• The management of facilities should target the broadest possible range of users, with particular emphasis on disadvantaged groups and opening hours should be tailored to this range of users.

More Info UK Athletics Facility Strategy Playing Pitch Strategy Guidance Designed to Move City Health Check - RIBA

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9. ACTIVE DESIGN IN BUILDINGS

The internal and external layout, design and use of buildings should promote opportunities for physical activity. • Providing activity inside buildings, rather than just between buildings.

Building design can help to support and encourage active lifestyles. The orientation, design and layout of a building can promote active and well used frontages and entrances. Building layouts can also accommodate informal recreational opportunities such as table tennis in appropriate communal areas. The detailed internal layout can promote the use of stairs and support active travel by visitors or employees by providing appropriate and secure cycle parking, lockers, showers and changing rooms. Pushchair parking can also be provided where appropriate to encourage active travel. New homes should likewise include appropriate and secure cycle parking.


• Ensure that buildings are well located in relation to surrounding walking and cycling routes,

with direct access by these modes prioritised over access by vehicular modes.

• Promote the use of stairs (over the lift) with spacious and clean stair wells that are welcoming with colour, art and lighting.

• Integrate sport facilities in larger buildings for instance small outdoor spaces or courtyards that could accommodate table tennis or similar smaller scale activity areas.

• Inclusion of appropriate facilities for cyclists in building design including easily accessible

bicycle storage that is secure and preferably at the front of plot.

• Provision of pushchair parking where appropriate can encourage walking by parent and child.

• Inclusion of appropriate facilities for cyclists in places of work including: Safe and secure cycle storage for workers; Safe and secure cycle parking for visitors, as close as possible to the main

entrance; Showers; Lockers an changing facilities; Drying areas for wet clothes

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INSET BOX Good practice: Building Design The publication Active Design Guidelines – Promoting Physical Activity and Health in Design (New York City Department of Design and Construction, 2010) is a good source of further guidance notably for encouraging physical activity in building design:

“Building Design: Creating Opportunities for Daily Physical Activity Opportunities for incorporating regular physical activity into daily life can be found not only outdoors but inside buildings as well. Architects can help building occupants incorporate physical activity into their daily routines through the following measures:

• increase stair use among the able-bodied by providing a conveniently located stair for

everyday use, posting motivational signage to encourage stair use, and designing visible, appealing and comfortable stairs;

• locate building functions to encourage brief bouts of walking to shared spaces such as mail and lunch rooms, provide appealing, supportive walking routes within buildings;

• Provide facilities that support exercise such as centrally visible physical activity spaces,

showers, locker rooms, secure bicycle storage, and drinking fountains; • design building exteriors and massing that contribute to a pedestrian- friendly urban

environment and that include maximum variety and transparency, multiple entries, stoops, and canopies.” 35

More info

o Everybody Active, Every Day (Public Health England, 2014)

o Active by Design – Designing places for healthy lives (Design Council, 2014)

o Designed to Move (Nike, 2013)

o Active Design Guidelines – Promoting Physical Activity and Health in Design (New York City Department of Design and Construction, 2010).

35 Active Design Guidelines – Promoting Physical Activity and Health in Design (New York City Department of Design and Construction, 2010)

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10. ACTIVITY PROMOTION & LOCAL CHAMPIONS

Promoting the importance of physical activity as a means of improving health and well-being should be supported. Health promotion measures and local champions should be supported to inspire participation in physical activity across neighbourhoods, workplaces and facilities- Physical measures need to be matched by community and stakeholder action.

Promoting increased participation in sport and physical activity requires an ongoing social change in attitudes. Sport is a fun and rewarding experience in its own right and promoting awareness and participation is as essential as the provision of physical infrastructure. Socialising is at the heart of community and many clubs and facilities only exist and prosper due to the efforts of local champions and volunteers.

New users are more likely to try new activities as part of a social or peer group, and promotional activity should recognise and target this.

Providing potential users with clear information on local opportunities for physical activity, walking and cycling routes and the associated health benefits of these is an effective method of raising awareness and inspiring activity.

Technology and social media can provide an easy, effective and highly accessible method for the dissemination of information. Innovative and effective methods of utilising technology to encourage activity in local spaces should be explored. This applies not just to the promotion of active places, but also to the monitoring personal performance. For example, a number of apps are now creating virtual networks of runners, cyclists or other sports people and sharing and analysing data.


• Local authorities and relevant partners should prioritise the promotion of physical activity across all of their activities and functions.

• Facility managers should encourage wide and varied use of public spaces and places, and establish a broad programme of events to engage the local community and visitors.

• Local communities should be provided with information explaining the physical activity offer in their neighbourhood and the health benefits.

• Social media, new technologies and the internet should be used to promote facilities, to attract users and create competitive communities.

• Volunteers and local champions should be recognised, supported and encouraged within local clubs and organisations.

• Mobile phone applications such as Strava and FitBit which track activity rates can be a useful tool to encourage activity through the sharing of routes and setting of aspirational targets.

More Info:

What Sways Women to Play Sport? Using Influencers to Unlock Opportunities That Positively Impact Women’s Sporting Behaviours – Women in Sport – April 2015

- Sport England – This Girl Can Campaign

- Valuing Volunteering in Sport in England – Sport England

Review of the research evidence on young people and sport – Sport England Research 2012

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3.0 PROCESS, DELIVERY AND APPLICATION – HOW DO WE DO IT? CASE STUDIES

- Case Studies – a range of case studies from across the country that demonstrate successful

application of the principles of Active Design, including: o Urban regeneration: Sheffield public realm improvements (Sheaf Valley Park and

City Centre Gold Route); o New communities: Brooklands urban expansion scheme (new residential

community in Milton Keynes); o Utilising existing spaces: South Park, Darlington how an existing public space

has successfully sought to maximise opportunities for activity with a range of events and programmes to utilities space.

o Events led activity: Park Run – an example of ‘pop-up’ event that is transferable to

a range of locations, nationally and internationally.

o Bristol – city wide agendas (cycling promotion, public realm improvements?)

NB These case studies are not included in this Consultation Draft. An example case study of Sheffield is included in the Draft Artwork which accompanies this document.

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Active Design Case Study:

o Urban regeneration: Sheffield public realm improvements (Sheaf Valley Park and City Centre Gold Route);

NB Case studies are not included in this Consultation Draft. An example case study of Sheffield is included in the Draft Artwork which accompanies this document.

36




o New communities: Brooklands urban expansion scheme (new residential community in Milton Keynes);


37




o Utilising existing spaces: South Park, Darlington how an existing public space has successfully sought to maximise opportunities for activity with a range of events and programmes to utilities space.


38




o Events led activity: Park Run – an example of ‘pop-up’ event that is transferable to

a range of locations, nationally and internationally.


39




o Bristol – city wide agendas (cycling promotion, public realm improvements?) NB Case studies are not included in this Consultation Draft. An example case study of Sheffield is included in the Draft Artwork which accompanies this document.

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4.0 HOW TO USE ACTIVE DESIGN The following section includes:

- How Planners can use Active Design including a model planning policy; - How Health Professionals can use Active Design; and

- How Developers can use Active Design.

HOW PLANNERS AND NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN MAKING BODIES CAN USE ACTIVE DESIGN Active Design should be promoted through Local Plans and Neighbourhood Plans using clear policy support within the National Planning Policy Framework and National Planning Policy Guidance. Many Active Design objectives are already implicit within overlapping areas of planning policy related to open space and landscape, transport and access and design.

Active Design can be explicitly promoted through Local Plans and Neighbourhood Plans and has an important role to play in Plan Making activity in creating sound local and neighbourhood policies:

• Developing the Evidence Base – Active Design reflects national planning policy and can form part of the evidence base for plan making activity. Planners can use Active Design to inform discussions with local communities, public health leads and health organisations, landscape professionals and with transport professionals to identify local policy priorities, local health and transport programmes and to build a proportionate evidence base. Active Design can also inform and complement other elements of the evidence base such as Playing Pitch Assessments, Design and Development Briefs etc.

• Developing Planning Policy – Active Design can be used to inform and develop national

policy into positively prepared, justified and effective Local Plan or Neighbourhood Plan policies. One approach would be through the utilisation of a Model Policy for Active Design set out below.

• Informing the approach to the Community Infrastructure Levy – Active Design can assist in

identifying the scope of infrastructure that might be supported by the Community Infrastructure Levy as identified in the Regulation 123 list.36

36 Regulation 123 of the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 41



MODEL POLICY FOR ACTIVE DESIGN A suggested model policy for Local Plans and Neighbourhood Plans is set out below:

Planners should also use Active Design alongside other elements of their Local Plan and evidence base to promote healthy active environments in determining planning and other applications through the decision taking process:

• Active Design can inform initial discussions with applicants and pre-application advice on how a specific site or proposal can respond to Active Design Principles and scoping out the content of application submissions.

• The ten Active Design Principles and the Model Planning Policy forms a useful tool for the

assessment of planning applications, and making planning decisions including identifying appropriate conditions and planning obligations that might be required to make a development acceptable.

• Active Design Principles can also inform the identification of indicators for monitoring the impact of planning policy and decisions.

The Local Planning Authority, along with partners, will seek to promote healthy and active lifestyles to all sectors pf the community through the application of the following Active Design principles; • maintaining a balance of land and open space easily accessible by walking, cycling and public transport; • prioritising safe and convenient opportunities for walking and cycling for both leisure and utility purposes; • protecting existing networks of open spaces, sports and play provision and delivering high quality new and improved provision which links to the existing network • promoting high quality streets, paths and spaces and maintaining them to the highest standards • promoting public conveniences, drinking fountains and seating as part of open spaces and squares • ensuring the detailed design of buildings maximises opportunities for pedestrian and cycle access and promotes the use of stairs ahead of lifts • engaging with public health professionals on all major planning applications Active Design is about creating the right conditions within existing and proposed development for individuals to be able to lead active and healthy lifestyles. It focuses on those ingredients of cities, towns and villages that offer individuals the opportunity to be active. Spatial planning has a key role in creating such opportunities, and planning applications will be assessed against Active Design principles. Where Design and Access Statements are required to support an application, they should explain how the design of the proposal reflects the Active Design principles. Public Health leads should be part of any pre-application engagement undertaken by applicants as they will be consulted on all relevant applicants. The Local Planning Authority will use planning conditions and / or planning obligations where necessary to address issues where developments do not comply with Active Design principles. The Active Design guidance can be found on Sport England’s website at the following location www.sportengland.org

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HOW HEALTH PROFESSIONALS CAN USE ACTIVE DESIGN Planning ensures that the right development happens in the right place at the right time, benefitting communities and the economy. It plays a critical role in identifying what development is needed and where, what areas need to be protected or enhanced and in assessing whether proposed development is suitable. There are two key strands to planning activity:

1. Plan Making Local Plans are the key documents through which local planning authorities can set out a vision and framework for the future development of the area, typically over a fifteen year period. Local Plans address needs and opportunities in relation to housing, the local economy, community facilities and infrastructure. They should safeguard the environment, enable adaptation to climate change and help secure high quality accessible design. The Local Plan provides a degree of certainty for communities, businesses and investors, and a framework for guiding decisions on individual planning applications. Neighbourhood plans offer communities the opportunity to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and shape the development and growth of their local area. It is highly desirable that health priorities and objectives are aligned with and integrated into Local Plans and policies given their central role in determining planning applications. Plan-making is a continuous and long-term process that requires ongoing engagement and collaboration between planners and health professionals. Health professionals can use Active Design to and inform dialogue with planning colleagues, and in engaging with elected members to stimulate discussion and promote strong leadership on promoting sport, health and physical activity across the political spectrum.

2. Decision Taking The planning system is plan-led and any planning application must be determined in line with the development plan (Local and neighbourhood plans and, where relevant, the London Plan) unless other material considerations indicate otherwise. Planning applications benefit from being informed by pre-application discussions between applicants and the local planning authority. These can vary from informal to discussions to formal scoping of Environmental Assessments. Public health leads should be engaged in any pre-application discussions for relevant planning applications, and in the scoping of application material and assessments (including Environmental Assessment). Health professionals can use Active Design to inform joint working with planners, landscape and transport professionals to promote the positive application of active design principles in detailed proposals and improved health outcomes. Health professionals should engage with planners to ensure that they are consulted on all relevant planning applications.

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HOW DEVELOPERS CAN USE ACTIVE DESIGN The promotion of Active Design Principles in a development proposal has a number of significant benefits:

• as well as according with national planning policy and practice, embedding Active Design Principles into the design and layout of a development at an early stage will meet a number of planning, transport and health objectives in an integrated and co-ordinated manner. This can provide a smoother and quicker route through the planning application process can assist in building support from neighbours and local communities for proposals and can result in more positive outcomes for applications.

• There is a growing awareness that active places have broader economic benefits not just in terms of returns on investment in walking and cycling infrastructure37, but in terms of the value of homes38. Active places also achieve better returns for retailers and are more attractive to tenants and customers.39

• Active Design offers real and tangible benefits to the design and branding of a development which will enable a development to differentiate itself from competitors and will ultimately result in a stronger and more distinct market offer to customers. Case study evidence at Brooklands, Milton Keynes suggests a very strong market demand for new dwellings influenced in part by the strong design and community ethos40.

To make the most of the opportunities:

1. Active Design Principles should be integrated into the design concept from the outset of any master planning.

2. Developers should use Active Design to seek early engagement with the local planning authority, health professionals and local communities to identify health, sport and physical activity priorities within the area that need to be reflected in proposals.

3. Where Design and Access Statements are required to support a planning application, developers and their agents should specifically identify the response of development proposals to Active Design principles to demonstrate how sport and physical activity has been embedded into proposals.

4. As well as the physical layout of hard infrastructure, developers should include appropriate details of the maintenance and management of open spaces in planning submissions, or clearly signpost them as matters to be addressed by planning condition or planning obligations.

5. Developers should seek to front load open space provision to provide an established setting for the development which can boost sales, and to provide community facilities as early as possible increasing the opportunities for activity at the earliest point in construction.

6. Developers should maintain engagement with communities and new residents across the delivery of proposals making information available regarding the delivery of open spaces, facilities, foot and cycle links etc.

37 Making the Case for Active Cities: The Co-Benefits of Designing for Active Living, Active Living Research 2015 38 Does money grow on trees? CABE 39 The pedestrian pound The business case for better streets and places, Living Streets 40 http://brooklandsmk.co.uk/places-for-people/news/couples-brave-freezing-temperatures-in-bid-to-secure-homes.aspx

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APPENDICES (TO BE CONFIRMED)

• Appendix A: List of References

• Appendix B: Glossary

• Appendix C: Contacts

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APPENDIX A: LIST OF REFERENCES List of references – draft list to be added to and amended…

Ref Document Title Author Date

1 Everybody active, every day: a framework to embed physical activity into daily life Public Health England 2014

2 Local Government Briefings on Physical Activity and Walking and Cycling

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

2013 /2014

3 Local action on health inequalities Public Health England 2014 4 Physical activity guidelines for older adults British Heart Foundation 2011

5 Healthy Urban Planning Checklist NHS London Healthy Urban Development Unit 2013

6 The Marmot Review: Implications for Spatial Planning UCL Institute of Health Equity 2011

7 Healthy people, healthy places briefing: Obesity and the environment: increasing physical activity and active travel

Public Health England and the Local Government Association 2013

8 Planning Healthy Weight Environments Town and Country Planning Association 2014

9 Active by Design – Designing places for healthy lives Design Council 2012

10 Steps to Healthy Planning – Proposals for Actions Spatial Planning and Health Group 2011

11 Promoting Healthy Cities: Why Planning is Critical to a Healthy Urban Future

Royal Town Planning Institute 2014

12 City health check How design can save lives and money

Royal Institute of British Architects 2013

13 Manual for Streets

Department for Transport and Department for Communities and Local Government 2007

14 Active Design Guidelines: Promoting Physical Activity and Health in Design

New York City Department of Design and Construction 2010

15 Assessment of Needs and Opportunities Guidance Sport England 2014 16 Playing Pitch Strategy Guidance Sport England 2013

17 Nature Nearby Accessible Natural Greenspace Guidance Natural England 2010

18 Active Travel: Related academic evidence Sustrans 2011

19 Active People Surveys Sport England 2005/ 2014

20 Sky ride local 2010 evaluation report British Cycling 2010

21 Public Health and Landscape: Creating Healthy Places Landscape Institute 2013 22 Designed to Move Nike 2013

23 International Cycling Infrastructure Best Practice Study

Urban Movement & Phil Jones Associates (Report for Transport for London) 2014

24 Facility Strategy 2014-19 UK Athletics 2014

25 Promoting Healthier Cities. Spatial Planning as if People Really Mattered

Barton, H. and Grant, M. (2012) in Journal of Urban Health 2013

26 Building Healthy Places Toolkit Urban Land Institute 2015 27 Planning for Sport Guidance Sport England Various 28 Planning for Cycling CIHT 2014 29 NPPF DCLG 2012 30 NPPG DCLG

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APPENDIX B: GLOSSARY To be added.

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APPENDIX C: CONTACTS To be added. Confirm contact details with Sport England. address / email for main London office plus regional hubs? Sport England 21 Bloomsbury Street London WC1B 3HF Email: [email protected]

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