NPPF Chapter 8: Promoting Healthy and Safe Communities

NPPF Chapter 8: Promoting Healthy and Safe Communities

Paragraph 96. Planning policies and decisions should aim to achieve healthy, inclusive and safe places which:
a) promote social interaction, including opportunities for meetings between people who might not otherwise come into contact with each other;
b) are safe and accessible, so that crime and disorder, and the fear of crime, do not undermine the quality of life or community cohesion;
c) enable and support healthy lifestyles, especially where this would address identified local health and well-being needs.

Paragraph 97. To provide the social, recreational and cultural facilities and services the community needs, planning policies and decisions should:
a) plan positively for the provision and use of shared spaces, community facilities and other local services;
b) take into account and support the delivery of local strategies to improve health, social and cultural well-being;
c) guard against the unnecessary loss of valued facilities and services, particularly where this would reduce the community's ability to meet its day-to-day needs.

Paragraph 101. Access to a network of high quality open spaces and opportunities for sport and physical activity is important for the health and well-being of communities. Planning policies should be based on robust and up-to-date assessments of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities.

Paragraph 102. Existing open space, sports and recreational buildings and land, including playing fields, should not be built on unless:
a) an assessment has been carried out which has clearly shown the open space, buildings or land to be surplus to requirements; or
b) the loss resulting from the proposed development would be replaced by equivalent or better provision; or
c) the development is for alternative sports and recreational provision.

Paragraph 104. The designation of land as Local Green Space through local and neighbourhood plans allows communities to identify and protect green areas of particular importance to them. Designating land as Local Green Space should be consistent with the local planning of sustainable development and complement investment in sufficient homes, jobs and other essential services. Local Green Spaces should only be designated where the green space is:
a) in reasonably close proximity to the community it serves;
b) demonstrably special to a local community and holds a particular local significance; and
c) local in character and is not an extensive tract of land.