¹û¶³Ó°Ôº

Investigating Potential Health Impacts Of Planning Deregulation: The Case Of Permitted Development In England

Overview

Research study investigating housing that is located in a building converted from a previous commercial use, such as offices that are now flats. We are working with our study participants to help us understand how this housing impacts residents’ health and wellbeing and how best to manage such existing properties and govern the development of conversions in future.  This research fills a vital gap in existing work to consider the health impacts and inequalities associated with permitted development (PD) housing in England. This will inform wider policy debate about whether deregulating urban planning supports healthier places.  The factors influencing housing quality are complex and multifaceted, but certainly include the regulatory processes associated with urban planning.

This project runs from March 2023 to February 2026.

People and collaborators

Co-leads

Professor Ben Clifford (Lead PI), The Bartlett School of Planning
Send Ben an email

Nadia Elsay, The Bartlett School of Planning
Send Nadia an email

Mina Sufineyestani, The Bartlett School of Planning
Send Mina an email 

Members

Anna Mavrogianni, The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources
Send Anna an email

Dr Eleni Oikenomou, The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources
Send Eleni an email

Michael Davies, The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources
Send Michael an email

Dr Daniel Zapeda-Rivas, The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources
Send Daniel an email

Helen Pineo, The University of Washington
Send Helen an email

Professor Rob Aldridge, Institute of Health Informatics
Send Rob an email

Julia Thrift, TCPA

Dr Rosalie Callway, TCPA

Sally Roscone, TCPA

Jo Brown, TCPA

Dan Bleksley, TCPA

Stephan Morrison, TCPA

Dr James Milner, The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)

Collaborators

TCPA

Groundswell

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)

Funder

National Institute for Health and Care Research

Outputs

WP1

1. A national dataset identifying the location of completed PD housing.
2. A linked high-resolution housing and health dataset.
3. Journal articles comparing the all-cause and cause-specific admissions and mortality in the PD and control group.

WP2

1. A dataset of PD housing characteristics compiled from survey, interviews and environmental assessment.
2. Journal article of the health needs of populations living in PD housing combining survey and interview data.

WP3

1. Dataset of indoor environmental conditions in PD homes and validated dynamic building performance models.
2. Journal articles on the comparative indoor environmental exposures in PD housing and on the impact of climate change.

WP4

1. Assessment (model/report) on the health economic evaluation of permitted development.
2. Assessment (model/report) of the cost-benefit of selected adjustments to planning regulation.
3. Journal article on combined modelling of health impacts and cost-benefit of potential interventions to improve public health.

WP5

1. Review of the current policy context on best practice in spatial planning, public health and the governance of PD housing.
2. Briefing for central government summarising impact of PD on healthy place making objectives.
3. Guidance and workshops for local government on securing higher design quality in PD housing to improve public health.

Related links

 – TCPA photobook of PD conversions in London and the South East, TCPA (2023)
Ìý(2021)
, ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº (2020)

Go back to view all research projects

Photo by Nadia Elsay