The Healthy Spaces and Places project has been launched at the Built Environment Meets Parliament Summit in Canberra.
The project is a partnership between the Heart Foundation, the Australian Local Government Association and the Planning Institute of Australia, aiming to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians through better designed built environments.
A web-based national planning guide has been developed, consisting of practical tools, case studies and guidelines to assist planning and design practitioners to incorporate active living principles into the built environment.
"Neighbourhood characteristics such as housing density, land use mix, traffic, street connectivity, lighting, access to paths and cycle ways and proximity to employment have been shown to have an impact on physical activity levels," says Warren Snowdon, minister for indigenous health, rural and regional health and regional services delivery.
The Healthy Spaces and Places guide will encourage developers and planners to consider these elements in their built environment designs.
