Policy WS/HD: Creating healthy new developments

6.6. Good physical and mental health is related to good quality housing and well designed development, streets and public realm, well laid out neighbourhoods, quality and efficiency in transport systems, opportunities to experience community, leisure and cultural services activities and access to green and open space.

6.7. Ten principles for creating healthy places were developed through NHS England’s Healthy New Towns (HNT) programme. The new town at Northstowe, became a demonstrator site for the programme. The principles are:

1. Plan ahead collectively;
2. Assess local health and care needs and assets;
3. Connect, Involve and empower local people and communities;
4. Create compact neighbourhoods;
5. Maximise active travel;
6. Inspire and enable healthy eating;
7. Foster health in homes and buildings;
8. Enable healthy play and leisure;
9. Develop health services that help people stay well; and
10. Create integrated health and well-being centres.

6.8. Each principle includes a range of actions to create a healthy new place. Applying the principles across the Local Plan will help to address the health and wellbeing of all new residents and will also create opportunity to address some of the existing health inequalities that exist in local communities.

6.9. Health Impact Assessments (HIA) are promoted by Public Health England as a method of ensuring that positive health outcomes can be delivered through new development. A HIA is a method of considering the positive and negative impacts of development on the health of different groups in the population, in order to enhance the benefits and minimise any risks to health. A HIA includes specifically a consideration of the differential impacts on different groups in the population, because certain groups are potentially more vulnerable to negative impacts from development such as those on a low income, people involved in the criminal justice system, minority ethnic groups, young, disabled (physically and learning) and older people.

6.10. The health and wellbeing impacts of development can vary depending on the type, scale, and location of development. Thresholds have therefore been included within Policy WS/HD to identify when the need for a HIA must be considered. For smaller developments, an extended screening stage or rapid HIA can be undertaken to determine if a full HIA is required. The extended screening includes a desk-based assessment of a development’s prospective health impacts, drawing data from a literature review and analysis of relevant quantitative data.

6.11. A rapid HIA requires a small steering group and often uses the approach of a
participatory stakeholder workshop. This typically involves a brief investigation of health impacts, including a short literature review of quantitative and qualitative research, and the gathering of knowledge and further evidence from a number of local stakeholders. Guidance on how to undertake extended HIA screening and a rapid HIA is available within the Greater Cambridge Health Impact Assessment SPD (April 2025). A HIA may also be required for a development proposal with potentially significant health and wellbeing impacts, even if the above thresholds are not exceeded. Examples of applicable development include:

• Development proposals that include potentially hazardous uses or installations;
• Developments in areas with limited infrastructure or facilities; and
• Developments in areas that have a higher proportion of protected characteristic groups.

6.12. Applicants should engage in pre-application discussions with the Local Planning Authorities to determine the need and scope of a HIA for a particular development proposal.

6.13. Whilst there will be some overlap between premises that fall under the definition of hot food takeaway and fast food outlets, not all fast food outlets fall under the definition of a hot food takeaway. Fast food outlets may fall under Use Class E and conversion from an existing premises within the same use class will not require planning
permission. In these instances, the ability of the Local Planning Authorities to control fast food outlets, which are not considered hot food takeaways, is more limited and may be primarily restricted to new buildings or drive-throughs.

6.14. Whilst they have an established role in the existing retail offer, where hot food takeaways and fast food outlets are within walking distance of schools and youth facilities, these uses have the potential to promote behaviour which is harmful to health. Controlling the development of hot food takeaways and fast food outlets within walking distances of places where young people gather will limit children’s exposure to less healthy food choices.

6.15. National planning policy states that applications for hot food takeaways and fast food outlets should be refused outside town centres when they are in close proximity to schools and other places where children and young people congregate, unless the location is within a designated town centre or where there is evidence that a concentration of such uses is having an adverse impact on local health, wellbeing and pollution. Policy WS/HD provides further detail as to how this policy will be applied in Greater Cambridge.

6.16. Concentrations of hot food takeaways and fast food outlets can damage the health of local communities by reducing choice and providing opportunities for less healthy food choices. The policy seeks to avoid clustering of these uses to ensure a balanced mix of uses within a village or shopping parade and to prevent such outlets from dominating. The policy recognises that in some circumstances hot food takeaways can play a role in providing affordable and accessible food. Recognised healthy catering principles include, for example, offering healthier options, smaller portion sizes, and reducing salt, sugar and fat content.

6.17. Shops and public houses within a village or shopping parade with a limited retail presence are valuable community resources that provide residents, particularly those without a car, access to goods and services and to human interaction. Protecting this use from changing to hot food takeaways and fast food outlets contribute to better physical and mental health outcomes for local residents and support the vitality of local communities and social inclusion.

6.18. Problem gambling can undermine the mental and physical health of individuals and their families, as well as their financial and social wellbeing. Limiting the presence of gambling premises to designated centres, preventing concentrations within these centres and requiring a Health Impact Assessment for new gambling premises are measures which seek to reduce the risk of problem gambling in Greater Cambridge.

For further guidance on how to submit comments, please see the Representation Guidance Note.

All comments must be received by 25 September 2026 at 5pm.