Agenda item

To receive a report providing an overview of how Housing and Planning can contribute towards the tackling of inequalities in Northumberland and contribute towards Healthy Neighbourhoods.  The report seeks support, suggestions, and an ongoing involvement of the Board to work together to further healthy approaches to Housing and Planning.  The report will be presented by Rob Murfin, Director of Housing and Planning, and Anne Lawson, Public Health Manager.

Members received a report providing an overview of how Housing and Planning can contribute towards the tackling of inequalities in Northumberland and contribute towards Healthy Neighbourhoods.  The report sought support, suggestions, and an ongoing involvement of the Board to work together to further healthy approaches to Housing and Planning.  The report was presented by Rob Murfin, Director of Housing and Planning, and Anne Lawson, Public Health Manager.

The following key points were raised in the presentation:-

•       Members were asked to consider the following questions:-

•       How can the member organisations of the Health and Wellbeing Board input to the development of a Housing Strategy prioritising healthy outcomes for our residents?

•       HIAs are required in certain circumstances under new local plan.  Should the HWB received Full HIAs to assure and further refine the process?

•       What more can we do to become exemplary in the development and delivery of good quality housing within Northumberland?

•       Housing and Planning as Building Blocks of a Good Life – The following priorities had been identified as part of the Health Neighbourhoods category of the Building Blocks of a Healthy Life Theme in the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy Review refresh.

•       Priority 1 – Supporting Healthy Neighbourhoods through Planning

•       Priority 2 – Blyth Deep Dive Housing and Healthy Housing Hub

•       Priority 3 – Hirst Housing Masterplan Phase One Implementation

•       Priority 4 – Available, Affordable Quality Housing

•       11 Healthy Homes Principles (2023) from the Town and Country Planning Association were listed including liveable space, access to amenities and transport and safety from crime.

•       The National Design Guide (2021) listed ten characteristics of well-designed places.

•       The Place Standard Tool was used to understand residents’ views of housing at 212 localities across the county.

•       Healthy Housing as a Building Block for Health - The next steps

•       Retaining a focus; warm homes and fuel poverty, keeping people in own homes for longer, climate change and low carbon initiatives.

•       Affordable Housing - NCC would aim to be an exemplar as biggest social landlord in county; drive up quality of housing and support tenants with healthy living initiatives.

•       Housing and Health Conference – including social landlords, private landlords, housing developers and elected members.

•       Delivering additional homes for Northumberland – opportunity to be an exemplar in healthy homes, work with other social landlords and commercial developers to ensure new schemes centred around healthy homes; homes supplied in right locations to meet local need.

•       Health and Housing Forum – establish forum to report to Health & Wellbeing Board

•       Structure of NCC Housing Service – review to include new strategic function to lead on health strategies within housing.

•       Healthy Planning as a Building Block for Health – next steps including Health Impact Assessments, early engagement with developers, public health involvement throughout the planning application process, supporting infrastructure.

The following comments were made:-

•       The Police were keen to become more integrated and aligned with Northumberland County Council and to contribute in areas such as designing out crime.  The Police were already statutory consultees in the planning process, but this was usually only at the request of a resident or parish council when there was a perception of crime being an issue.  The planners would be happy to draw on the skills of the police.

•       Adult Services already had good links and integration with the housing team and was able to influence housing strategy.  Some Members did not have these links and there could be further discussions with them.  

•       The Healthy Housing Forum was welcomed, and the CAB and voluntary sector would welcome the opportunity to contribute with knowledge of problems being faced by people such as fuel poverty.  They could also involve well informed groups who would be able to discuss these issues.

•       There was a danger that striving to be an exemplar could result in homes becoming unaffordable.

•       When approving new estates, it was important to consider the existing infrastructure, for example GP surgeries, and whether it could support the growing population.

•       Primary Care would welcome future involvement to be involved at the planning stage rather than being reactive.

•       The report was welcomed following on from the item at the last meeting regarding the refresh of the Joint Health & Wellbeing Strategy and looked at what could actually be done.  There was now a will to connect housing with Public Health.  It was important to work with residents, particularly those with vulnerabilities, to ensure that their housing was not a compounding issue in relation to their health.  The Healthy Housing Forum would be broader conversation beyond just new developments. 

•       Health & Housing Conference could be joined up with the tackling inequalities work in October 2024.

•       CNTW would be committed to any forum that was set up.  Issues seen in its community services where an increasing number of admissions to acute wards were being seen where housing and social situations had broken down to a point where a person had a significant relapse.  There were also lengthy admissions as they were unable to discharge patients without lengthy retro fitting as their housing was not suitable.

•       There needed to be discussions about the responsibilities of housebuilders going forward.  The cost of providing Primary Care could be included in developments but this was a very complex area.

The Chair stated that there had been a definite expression of interest to say that this subject was important and that they wanted to be involved.  There was a line of communication between members and the planning team and a responsibility on the team to outline what point had been reached and to seek opinions.  A Health impact assessment was vital but would have an impact on resources.  The question of how to become exemplary rested on how members related to each other and what systems were put in place.  The Northumberland Partnership and inequalities work would enable us to let everyone know what was being done.

RESOLVEDthat

(1)    The report and presentation be received

(2)    The comments be noted.