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Healthy Higher Density

As Sydney's population grows, the way we live and act within an increasingly urbanised environment is changing.

Healthy Higher Density project picture

Reducing heart disease, heat impacts, diabetes and mental illness through implementing planning measures for those living in urbanised environments is the focus of a new landmark study, conducted by Landcom in partnership with the Institute for Sustainable Futures, the University of Sydney and the University of NSW. 

The study, currently titled Translating Evidence to Support Planning Strategies for Healthier, Higher Density Living looks to provide new knowledge and tools, to address significant gaps in the planning of healthy higher density precincts.

The project is being led by ISF Associate Professor Jason Prior, UNSW's Professor Susan Thompson, and the University of Sydney's Dr. Jennifer Kent, with funding from Landcom NSW. 

The project investigates a number of issues:

  • understanding how health evidence can be better applied to plan for healthier, sustainable higher density living, to support the health and wellbeing of present and future generations
  • drawing together public and planetary health, translational research and health planning, in the creation of collaborative learning partnerships between Landcom NSW, the universities of NSW, government organisations, TAFEs and schools to support innovation in planning for sustainable urban development
  • advancing knowledge of ways to plan higher density developments for the growth of positive outcomes for future population health
  • exploring how to improve the opportunities for the health and wellbeing of growing urban populations throughout the future
  • addressing the challenges to population health that are increasingly common within urbanised society, from the lesser seen effects of growing heat, to the impact of urbanisation on obesity rates
  • understanding the relationships and interconnections between environmental health, place and human wellbeing within the Australian urban context, and supporting the development of policies that are appropriate for this context
  • developing knowledge for the benefit of planners and policy makers that assist with the creation of healthy and sustainable urban futures

This project is being conducted by the University of Technology Sydney, the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales, in partnership with Landcom.

Healthy Higher Density logo block

Project team

The Chief Investigators for this project are:

  • Jason Prior (ISF)
  • Jon Adams (Faculty of Health)
  • Jennifer Kent (University of Sydney)
  • Susan Thompson (University of New South Wales)
  • Leena Thomas (Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building)
  • Tony Capon (University of Sydney)
  • Chris Rissel (University of Sydney)

The Research Fellow for this project is:

  • Irena Connon (ISF)​​

Research officer

  • Laura Goh (University of Sydney)

Research Assistant

  • Greg Paine (UNSW)

Collaborating Researcher

  • Erica McIntyre (FoH, UTS)

Publications

Journal Articles

Prior, JH, Connon, I, McIntyre, E, Adams, J, Capon, T, Kent, J, Rissel, C, Thomas, L, Thompson, S & Westcott, H 2018, 'Built environment interventions for human and planetary health: integrating health in climate change adaption and mitigation', Public Health Research and Practice, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. e2841831-e2841831.View/Download from: UTS OPUS or Publisher's site

Reports

Connon, ILC, Prior, JH, Kent, JL, Thomas, L, Thompson, SM, McIntyre, E, Adams, J, Capon, A, Rissel, C & Westcott, H 2018, Healthy Higher Density Living: A Review of the Literature, Landcom, Sydney, Australia.View/Download from: UTS OPUS  

Download the report

Connon, I. L. C., Prior, J. H., Kent, J. L., Thompson, S. M., Rissel, C., Adams, J., Capon, A., McIntyre, E., Thomas, L., Westcott, H., (2019), What Evidence is Available to Translate into Planning Strategies for Healthy Higher Density Living? Landcom: Sydney, Australia. ISBN: 978-0-6483595-9-3

Download the report

Media 

For more information, please see further media coverage of this project: 

Integrating health into our response to climate change, FoH, UTS, 7 February 2019

Healthy Planning for Higher Density, The Urban Design Daily, 7th December 2019

Local Climate Health Research Inadequate, Climate Control News, 7th December 2018

On the Radar, The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Issue 399,  10.1136, 10th December 2018

Universities and Landcom embark on high density living and health study, Architecture and Design, 4 May 2018

How can we ensure healthy high-rise communities?, The Fifth Estate, 3 May 2018

Urban planning being investigated in preventing type 2 diabetes in Australia, diabetes.co.uk, 30 April 2018

New study tackles high density health issues - University of Sydney Newsroom, 30 April 2018

UNSW joins study of healthy living and high-density housing, University of New South Wales Newsroom, 30 April 2018

Universities partner with Landcom on healthy living study, Institute for Sustainable Futures Newsroom, 27 April 2018

Enquiries

To find out more about this project, contact Irena Connon