Healthy planning for coastal areas: new research ideas published

Nick Smith, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Planning and Architecture, University of the West of England, reports on how effective planning can be used to promote the health and wellbeing of coastal areas. Further details can be found online.

Planning has a vital role to play in regenerating seaside communities. It helps in reshaping perceptions of coastal towns and tackling persistent health inequalities. Making sure this happens requires close collaboration between planners, local government officers and the health community.

An understanding of history can positively shape the future of places and promote health and wellbeing in coastal towns. According to Smith: 'The first step in creating successful regeneration is to understand how health and wellbeing were instrumental to the growth of many coastal communities. These same principles could be used to help with their future regeneration. However, for this to happen planners and those involved in regeneration have to understand how to plan for health.'