VIRTUAL Lisbon Livable Cities

Abstract

Background:  An individual’s place of residence can influence their exposure to health determinants, such as access to green space.
Residential amenity space is the shared space within/between buildings(communal) and space in individual dwellings, e.g. balconies/gardens(private). Amenity spaces are important for health and wellbeing, particularly in densely-populated, ethnically-diverse and deprived areas of cities.  A local authority planning team introduced an intervention to improve healthy placemaking through provision of quality amenity space within residential developments. This study aimed to evaluate intervention implementation. Methods: The intervention comprises; a guidance document on Residential Amenity Space and Place Quality, a mandatory template for applicants, planning officer training and the introduction of a Community Review Panel to provide feedback on planning applications. We conducted 43 semi-structured interviews with applicant teams(n=12), planning/housing staff(n=9), public health staff(n=3), review panels(n=16) and elected members(n=3). Interviews were analysed using framework analysis. Results: Most participants perceived the intervention to be acceptable and have the potential to improve healthy placemaking. Barriers to implementation included applicant burden, design constraints and competing priorities (e.g. profit margins). The importance of post-occupancy management for communal amenity spaces was considered a barrier to the intervention leading to healthier placemaking, due to maintenance fees and their potential to affect health inequalities. Reported facilitators included potential economic benefit and support from planning officers and review panels. Conclusion: Barriers to implementation need to be addressed going forwards. Further research should evaluate health and wellbeing outcomes and inequalities in provision, maintenance and use of amenity space, once residential developments are built.