Too many homes and neighbourhoods built today undermine residents’ health and wellbeing – the TCPA is campaigning for new legislation to stop this. The GHA supports the work of the TCPA in developing the Healthy Homes Act principles as part of its 18 month campaign.
Where we live has profound effects on our health throughout our lives, both in terms of our short-term safety and long-term quality of life. Yet there is overwhelming evidence that too many new homes and neighbourhoods in England are seriously undermining residents’ wellbeing and life chances. The way we regulate the built environment needs radical change. This campaign calls on government to adopt our Healthy Homes Bill, which would require all new homes and neighbourhoods to be of decent quality, and effectively outlaw those which undermine residents’ health and wellbeing.
What does the campaign demand?
Rules for housing and planning are spread across building regulations, the national planning framework, technical standards and local planning requirements. Key factors of residents’ wellbeing – such as receiving ample daylight inside the home – are currently not considered as different regulatory regimes are fragmented and poorly aligned. This creates uncertainty for the sector and allows for the development of dangerous housing and places.
This bill offers the government a powerful way to promote good place-making and design by introducing the ‘healthy homes principles’ in law, which together define what constitutes a healthy home and neighbourhood.
The bill also places a new duty on the Secretary of State to secure the health, safety, wellbeing and convenience of people in or around new buildings, and on local authorities to plan for the long-term delivery of affordable housing.
Find out more at: www.tcpa.org.uk/healthy-homes-act