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Notes from the field: 'Health' in Healthy New Towns?

Insights from two days on-site in Healthy New Towns Barton Park and Elmsbrook in Oxfordshire with the GCHU

Take a virtual walk...

Read below for some first steps to learn what the Healthy New Towns Programme is, and what this internship contributes to an active understanding of its lived impacts.

The  Healthy New Towns Programme  (see Figure 1 below) is a scheme designed to integrate healthy living and urban design for prosperous communities. The Programme consists of  10 demonstrator sites  scattered across England, predominantly the South of England, and was  launched by NHS England in 2015 .

10 principles are embedded into the design of these towns, begging the question: what is it like to live there? During this micro-internship, we had the opportunity to visit two sites in Oxfordshire, Barton Park and Elmsbrook, Bicester, to document our fieldwork, photograph the area, and tune into the five senses. The geographic focus, given the software we used (Survey123) and the outcomes of the internship (this StoryMap!), led to an acute awareness of the towns' spatiality, visual design, and various auditory inputs as we made our way through the streets.

Figure 1. The 10 Healthy New Town Principles and 10 Demonstrator Sites

This StoryMap follows both the paths we traced, and the lines of thought prompted by the experiences. Integrating this on-the-ground knowledge into the wider intentions of the programme provided a framework of research themes through which these walking observations gained meaningful context. The research questions that this fieldwork was based on were: what transport options are encouraged by the layout of these Healthy New towns? and how is a sense of community fostered by the town's buildings?

Figure 2. Methodology

08.04.24

The structure of the internship allowed for an induction to the internship and fieldwork methods, two days on-site in Barton Park and Elmsbrook, and time to use the ArcGIS software, prepare a presentation, and create a StoryMap. Pictured in Figure 2 is the methodology we followed.

Below (Figure 3) is a diagram of the four arising key themes I identified, and some questions associated. This was initially formed after the two days on-site, and consequently helped provide a framework for presenting the results.

Figure 3. Key themes and questions

In focus: Mapping the routes and Writing the Maps

09.04.24 & 10.04.24

By asking 'what modes of travel are encouraged in the Healthy New Towns?' rather than the descriptive question 'what transport options are available to residents of Healthy New Towns?', this invites a more subjective and qualitative approach to understanding the link between urban design and healthy behaviours.

The interactive map below shows the routes we took during our fieldwork, in Barton Park and then in Elmsbrook, with each site accompanied by photographs and observations.

Walking around the two Healthy New Towns, first Barton Park, and then Elmsbrook, it was noticeable that footpaths and outdoor physical activity are encouraged by the urban design, from the integrated pedestrian and cycle paths to the public gym facilities and play parks (not pictured. See: the StoryMap created by the other GCHU intern, Ozan Somyurek, on  Green Spaces in Healthy New Towns ). The latter two features of both Barton Park and Elmsbrook also suggest that there were clear target demographics embedded into the planning process.

Observing these pedestrian routes and nudges to be physically active relate not just to the  Healthy New Towns' principles  of leading a healthy lifestyle, particularly Principle 5 (maximise active travel) and Principle 8 (enable healthy play and leisure), but also directly impact the environmental quality of these 'compact' neighbourhoods (see Principle 4).

This speaks to the 'multiple benefits' of  fifteen-minute cities , listed by the Town and Country Planning Association as improving mental and physical health, but importantly, reducing traffic and in turn, air quality, thus encouraging local prosperity and the creation of a community.

Community Infrastructure in the Healthy New Towns

In a move away from the liminal spaces and routes, the maps below provide detail on the buildings that I identified as key contributors to the processes of 'place-making' in Barton and Elmsbrook, which also serve well for comparison. The annotated maps below (Figure 4 and Figure 5) show the two community centres in more detail, which also reflects the time we spent in them observing what they offer to residents.

Figure 4. Annotated map to show the main attributes and characteristics of the Barton Neighbourhood Community Centre

A key aspect to the creation of these communities in Barton Park and Elmsbrook are the physical entities of Barton Park's Neighbourhood Centre and Elmsbrook's Business Centre, which serve as hubs for local initiatives and entrepreneurship.

The  Neighbourhood Centre in Barton Park  was actually in Barton, and its multi-purpose design catered to many demographics, making it a natural 'hub of activity'. We came across it by following the main road, making it well-connected and central to the area.

Figure 5. Annotated map to show the main attributes and characteristics of the Perch Eco Business Centre in Elmsbrook

Some initiatives that were visible in the entrance included a donation area and easily-accessible local planning documents and leaflets for local businesses and programmes. One such programme operating in this centre included the  Barton Community Larder , a programme that reduces food waste and engages the whole community.

In Elmsbrook, the  Perch Eco Business Centre  similarly sees itself as an all-encompassing space, providing business support, community, and networking opportunities. While it requires membership, limiting its accessibility, the centre does provide space to host community events, and has a range of facilities from seminar rooms to showers for cyclists, which promotes a high-quality working and social environment. As the  first UK office to be zero carbon and awarded Passivhaus Plus status , it is also, importantly, a healthy workspace.

With space to foster community both on the ground and online, these two centres are highly active and operate in health, sustainability, business, and social spheres, among many others, all of which align with the holistic principles of the Healthy New Towns.

Accessibility of Community Infrastructure for Residents

The embedded isochrone maps below show gradation in increments of 5 minutes walking distance from the map markers, pinned at Barton Park and Elmsbrook's respective community centres. This offers a visual depiction of how accessible these centres are, but as is noted, the analysis is objective and did not always reflect the actual experience.

ICH: Intangible 'Community' Heritage

 Intangible Cultural Heritage , or ICH, is a concept defined by UNESCO emphasising the safeguarding of 'living expressions' and traditions that are passed on from generation to generation. Playing on this, I extend the notion to Intangible 'Community' Heritage – the added layer of local momentum and energy needed to sustain the community fostered by urban and architectural design.

11.04.24

The above maps and photos depict key intersecting aspects of what gave Barton Park and Elmsbrook a sense of place: the physical plan of the Healthy New Towns, and the community action that takes place within them.

One feature of these towns that left an unexpected impression was the exterior design of the residential areas and the houses themselves. This included the number of storeys of buildings, whether there were cul-de-sacs, the colour and shape of the houses, and even the vegetation: trees lining the roads, or flowers in front gardens.

The  form of the buildings – i.e., what one sees as they walk around – had a noticeable impact on the overall sense of the area . This intangible community heritage has important links to the future connections fostered between residents, and the lasting sustainability of the towns as they welcome visitors, new businesses, and new homeowners. The quality of the houses from those on the inside, however, may be yet to be seen.

Where next?

12.04.24

The purpose of this fieldwork was to evaluate the experience of being in the Healthy New Towns Barton Park and Elmsbrook, Bicester, both of which are located in Oxfordshire.

This StoryMap journeyed through Barton Park and Elmsbrook, two Healthy New Towns demonstrator sites. Highlighted in the text and maps produced is the importance of interpretive methodologies and multi-research methods to gain a holistic understanding of what it is like to live in these towns. By including qualitative and subjective input, the needs of the local residents come to the fore. And this is, ultimately, the principal goal: they are the very subjects of the Healthy New Towns programme–it is easier to envisage a town of healthy people, rather than a healthy town, after all!

Such multi or mixed methods used included ArcGIS' features, such as Survey123 and the StoryMap to present the results. Being able to upload geotagged photos to create the map tour also proved an effective approach to re-creating the fieldwork virtually. One aspect of the experience recorded in the surveys that did not make the StoryMap was the recordings of the soundscape: generally, this was the sound of traffic and occasionally birdsong, obscured by regular gusts of wind.

Understanding what underpins the geographies of health is essential in urban planning, yet is frequently overlooked in favour of other priorities such as funding.  Figure 3  depicted the four key themes I identified from preliminary reading around health geography and the main features from being on-site. These were:

  1. Demographic Questions
  2. Questions of Environment and Health
  3. The Local Economy
  4. Place-Making and Identity

The four themes, in turn, could provide the foundations for a framework of monitoring and evaluation.

Theme

Sub-Questions

1. Demographic Questions

Who is moving into these neighbourhoods, including data on ethnic make-up, age-specific, and gender-characterised data that could inform research into health inequalities and disparities, for example. Do these neighbourhoods have a 'target demographic', given the way the ten Healthy New Town sites are distributed across England? Are these towns commuter towns? How well-connected are they to nearby towns?

2. Questions of Environment and Health

What environmental principles are embedded into the Healthy New Towns? Are health provisions actually made more accessible by design? Are healthy lifestyles encouraged and embedded into the fabric of these towns?

3. The Local Economy This theme is inspired by the thought behind the  Health on the High Street Campaign .

How can you put a price on health and wellbeing? What do these Healthy New Towns contribute to the local economy? What sectors do residents of Healthy New Towns work in?

4. Place-making and Identity

What are the links between the architecture and process of place-making for the Healthy New Town residents? How is identity formed and related to these Healthy New Towns?

Figure 6. Table summarising the key themes and questions guiding the Healthy New Towns fieldwork and analysis

The  life course approach  in health geography ties these themes together and will provide an essential avenue for long-term research into the impacts of these Healthy New Towns, including evaluating their success and whether they hold promise for acting as the blueprint for future urban planning.

Recommendations:

  • Greater attention to Principles 6 and 9, given 10 is served effectively by the community centres
    • (6) Inspire and enable healthy eating
    • (9) Develop health services that help people stay well
    • (10) Create integrated health and wellbeing centres
  • Continued efforts to service Barton Park and Elmsbrook with frequent buses, ensuring connectivity with Barton, Bicester, and the rest of Oxfordshire and evading the cycle of  transport-related social exclusion  (TRSE)
  • With the promise of future commercial, residential, and community builds (see below), temporary strategies put in place to address gaps in long-term plans
  • Disparities are visually apparent between Barton and Barton Park, and the four phases of Elmsbrook, thus improved measures to integrate these cohorts into one unified community

The Healthy New Towns are a great first step towards integrating health into sustainable urban design and planning. While it is not necessarily a perfect model, my experience in Barton Park and Elmsbrook was resoundingly positive – they remain novel in comparison to current development plans elsewhere. Furthermore, they continue to grow: in Barton Park,  one, two, and three-bedroom apartments are on their way ; while in Elmsbrook,  development is underway  for the  Elmsbrook Community House  which proposes to include homes, a community centre, a café, and much-needed commercial opportunities.

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References and Resources

  • (2023) Barton Community Association. Available at: https://www.bartoncommunityassociation.com/ (Accessed: 13 May 2024).
  • Beckley Place (no date) Beckley Place | New Build Homes in Oxford for Sale, New Houses Oxfordshire | Countryside Homes. Available at: https://www.countrysidehomes.com/developments/oxfordshire/beckley-place-oxford?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2uiwBhCXARIsACMvIU11lGtWrsbBTu5_J4m09-2rAzUeE_Ffw_oiwyaCJ9d0_7jfshSOYT8aAlfsEALw_wcB (Accessed: 13 April 2024).
  • Elmsbrook community house (no date) A2Dominion. Available at: https://a2dominion.co.uk/en/contact-us/locations/Community-centres/Elmsbrook-Community-House (Accessed: 13 April 2024).
  • Health on the High Street (no date) RSPH. Available at: https://www.rsph.org.uk/our-work/campaigns/health-on-the-high-street.html (Accessed: 13 April 2024).
  • Hyde, G. (2023) The 20-minute neighbourhood, Town and Country Planning Association. Available at: https://www.tcpa.org.uk/collection/the-20-minute-neighbourhood/ (Accessed: 11 April 2024).
  • Perch Eco Business Centre (no date) Home | Perch Eco Business Centre I Bicester. Available at: https://www.percheco.co.uk/ (Accessed: 13 April 2024).
  • Roe, J. & McCay, L. (2021) Restorative cities : urban design for mental health and wellbeing. London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts.
  • Sim, D. (2019) Soft city : building density for everyday life. Washington ; Island Press.
  • Somyurek, O. (2024). Green is Only Half the Picture: Healthy New Towns. ArcGIS StoryMap.  https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/4869513ace9e4607aceb22d09a17334e  (Accessed 13 April 2024).
  • (2019) Putting Health into Place: Executive summary. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/phip-executive-summary.pdf (Accessed: 11 April 2024).
  • Transport for the North (2022) Transport-related social exclusion in the North of England. https://transportforthenorth.com/strategy-and-evidence/
  • Unesco - What is Intangible Cultural Heritage? (no date) Intangible Cultural Heritage. Available at: https://ich.unesco.org/en/what-is-intangible-heritage-00003 (Accessed: 13 April 2024).

Acknowledgements

With thanks to the Global Centre on Healthcare and Urbanisation for providing this opportunity, and in particular to Dr. Hannah Grove for supervising the internship.

Figure 2. Methodology

Figure 3. Key themes and questions

Figure 4. Annotated map to show the main attributes and characteristics of the Barton Neighbourhood Community Centre

Figure 5. Annotated map to show the main attributes and characteristics of the Perch Eco Business Centre in Elmsbrook