This paper explores how a health impact assessment (HIA) process was used to forge closer links between health and urban design agendas in Manukau City. The case study reveals many common interests among public health and urban designers/planners, and also reveals how a public health-oriented approach was able to engage people across a range of sectors, along with Māori stakeholders, to influence long-term planning for a city centre.
Key Results
Following the success of the Built Form and Spatial Structure Plan for Manukau city centre, the urban design team were keen to apply HIA processes to spatial structure plans being developed in other parts of Manukau. Over May to September 2010, staff from the urban design team and Manukau the Healthy City led an HIA of the Wiri Spatial Structure Plan, with widespread stakeholder involvement from local communities, schools, older people, Māori and Pacific populations. This was supported by the Ministry of Health’s Learning by Doing Fund.
Because the Wiri Spatial Structure Plan was at an earlier stage of development, the Wiri HIA was able to have a direct impact on the plan’s content and direction. As a result of the engagement undertaken through the Wiri HIA, the development of the Wiri Spatial Structure Plan incorporated the following issues:
- the use, location and size of community facilities
- the orientation of housing to promote warm, healthy living environments
- landscaping that reflects the cultural diversity of the area
- a mixture of land uses
- increased safe pedestrian areas, and planning for active transport development
- improved safety through urban design.
The HIAs in Manukau city centre and in Wiri provided reference points for concerns and aspirations for these areas, which will continue to have relevance despite the amalgamation of regional and local government in the Auckland region into a single Auckland Council. These HIAs have laid important foundations for collaboration between urban designers and the health and social sectors. With the transition to Auckland Council from November 2010, the Healthy City advisor maintains an active presence in the organisation and is well placed to forge health and urban design partnerships into the future.