21. Health Impact Assessment (HIA)
What is it?
Policy HC1 of the Plan Strategy seeks to ensure that all new developments maximise opportunities to promote healthy and active lifestyles.
A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) helps to ensure that health and wellbeing are properly considered in development proposals. In looking at how a proposal might affect people’s health, an HIA can identify ways to amend the proposal to reduce possible harmful effects and increase possible beneficial effects. HIAs can be done at any stage in the development process but are best done at the earliest stage possible in project design to allow scope for mitigations and other improvements.
When is it required?
A Health Impact Assessment should be provided with applications for Major residential, commercial and industrial development.
A Health Impact Assessment may also be required for other forms of development with potential to have a significant adverse effect on public health and wellbeing.
What should be included?
The Health Impact Assessment should follow the methodology provided in the Council’s Promoting Healthy Communities Technical Advice Note 1 and associated Appendix 1: Health Impact Assessment Screening Guide.
