Creating Healthy Environments

The 'Creating Healthy Environments Toolkit' was developed in 2009 and updated in 2010 to provide a collection of tools that help local authorities to improve our villages, towns and cities for those on foot. It also helps to tackle barriers to active lifestyles within the built environment.

The Toolkit is designed to be used by policy and decision makers; by professionals within local authorities including planners, transport planners, roads engineers, access officers, sustainable development and health improvement officers and town centre managers. You can download it free from our website, simply click on the links below.  You will be asked to give basic details so that we can monitor use of the toolkits when you download the pdfs. With some browser settings, you may need to click DOWNLOAD twice.

Healthy Environments Toolkit (Full document)

Section 1 Executive Summary
A summary statement on the health benefits of walkable environments and an overview of the toolkit. 
Download the Executive Summary

Section 2 Evidence & Policy  
o a summary of the evidence on the link between physical activity, health and the built environment;
o the policy position on physical activity, health and the built environment;
o approaches to integrating healthy environments into planning, transport and other local authority strategies and programmes.
Download section 2.1 on Health and Physical Activity
Download section 2.2 on Healthy Environments
Download section 2.3 on Creating Healthy Environments

Section 3 Tools  
Sixteen practical measures that help improve the walkability of the public realm, including relevant guides, standards, audits, and assessments. Wherever possible, case studies have been provided to demonstrate the practical use of the tools.

Download tools

If you feel that information is missing from the policy and evidence section, or would like other tools to be included, please contact:

Janice Gray, Healthy Environments Officer  

 T: 0131 243 2649