PHIRST Webinar, Healthy Place Making: Improving Public Health through Planning
The next PHIRST webinar will take place on Monday 20 October 2025, 12-13.30PM, on MS Teams. The session will focus on PHIRST evaluations that examine how local government public health and planning teams can work together to improve our environments.
Healthy environments support better population health. This webinar will focus on three PHIRST projects that showcase how local governments in England have been working to design and deliver healthier places. These include the development of hybrid and specialist posts across public health and planning departments, and developing guidance for developers on improving the quality of amenity space in new residential developments.
Panel discussion
The webinar will also include a panel discussion on the implications of this work for policy, practice, and the public. If you would like to submit a question for our panel in advance please email Ann.Fitchett@newcastle.ac.uk. Confirmed panel members include:
- Adam Briggs, Director of the NIHR Public Health Research Programme and Deputy Director of Public Health at Oxfordshire City Council
- Andrew Charlesworth-May, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Riham Lofti, Public Partner, Evaluation of the Residential Amenity Space and Place Quality SPD (Supplementary Planning Document) in Brent
- Andrew Netherton, Programme Manager (Housing, Planning and Environments for Health), Directorate for Prevention and the Public Health System, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities
Evaluations
In depth information on the evaluations being discussed in this session can be found by clicking on the links below:
- How ‘hybrid’ public health posts in local government support the delivery of healthier places in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc , view evaluation details
- Residential Amenity Space and Place Quality, Supplementary Planning Document at Brent Council, view evaluation details
- Building and facilitating system capability to create healthy environments in East Sussex and Southampton, view evaluation details
The webinar will be chaired by Professor Russ Jago, Lead for PHIRST Insight and Professor of Physical Activity and Public Health at the University of Bristol.
Agenda
Please use the timings below as a guide only
12.00 Welcome and introduction, Professor Russ Jago
12.10 Building healthy environments – the role of specialist 'Health Places' posts
Emma Halliday, PHIRST LiLaC and Lourdes Madigasekera-Elliott, East Sussex County Council.
View the presentation slides (PDF: 7 slides)
12.25 How ‘hybrid’ public health posts in local government support the delivery of healthier places.
Thomas Mills, PHIRST South Bank. Sam Smith, Planning Manager at NHS London Healthy Urban Development Unit and former Public Health Principal for the Built Environment at Milton Keynes City Council. View the presentation slides (PDF: 7 slides)
12.40 Improving Amenity Space and Place Quality in a Local Council
Hannah Littlecott, PHIRST Insight and John Stiles, Placemaking Manager, Brent Council.
View the presentation slides (PDF: 19 slides)
12.55 Break
13.00 Panel Discussion, see confirmed panel members above
13.25 Closing remarks, Professor Russ Jago
Register now
Register now