Health impact assessment in spatial planning in England

Spatial planning decisions have public health consequences. It is therefore important that the potential health impacts of plan-making and planning applications are carefully considered. Health impact assessment (HIA) is a tool to identify the health impacts of a project or policy and to develop recommendations to maximise the benefits, minimise harm and reduce health inequalities. This commentary provides an overview of a new ‘HIA in spatial planning guide’ for local authority public health and planning teams in England. Prepared by Public Health England’s Healthy Places Team, the Guide aims to increase and support the adoption of local HIA policy.