A new report calls for urgent action to embed health and equity in the future development of Greater Cambridge.

Greater Cambridge finds itself at a pivotal moment. It has some of the fastest projected population growth in England and yet Greater Cambridge is falling down the tables compared to other places that are growing more sustainably and more equitably. A marked shift in how we plan, design, and deliver our cities, villages, and neighbourhoods is called for. Growth through business as usual could deepen inequities, drive environmental harm, and damage the health of nature – including humans as part of nature.

A new report, Healthy Greater Cambridge: Healthy Placemaking for Equity, Planet, and People, authored by Urban Habitats for The Cambridge Room, a charity, sets out a bold approach for change. Greater Cambridge includes South Cambridgeshire plus Cambridge city. The report argues that health is not created in hospitals but in the places where people live, work, and play. Planning for health must be at the heart of every decision about future growth and change.

Drawing on leading-edge research, local engagement over the last six months, and examples from the local to the global, the report proposes five priorities for action:

• Creating with communities
• Making opportunities for movement and physical activity
• Fixing the food system and food environment
• Ensuring access to green space as well as space for nature
• Getting it right at all scales

These priorities are backed by extensive evidence and practical recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, developers, and communities. They include appointing a Healthy Places Lead, embedding Health Impact Assessment in planning, and adopting a One Health approach – recognising the interdependence of planetary and human health.

Why now? Greater Cambridge already faces stark health inequalities – up to 17 years difference in healthy life expectancy between neighbourhoods – and mounting pressures, from water scarcity to biodiversity loss. Policies focused solely on housing numbers risk exacerbating these problems as well as failing to deliver on stated ambitions of economic growth and housing affordability. As the report makes clear, ‘Healthy placemaking is not a luxury: it’s a necessity for the future of Greater Cambridge.’

The report is more than a policy document; it is a call to action. It invites planners, policymakers, businesses, and citizens to work together for a future where people and nature thrive side by side.

This is about designing communities, not just housing units. Greater Cambridge has much of what’s needed to make it happen and has the opportunity to lead the way in creating sustainable places that support health equity for people and planet.

Dr Mark Drane, Founder & Director, Urban Habitats

Download the full report here.