Patrick Vernon writes:
I
am supporting the campaign to stop Barnet Council approving the
planning application with Barratts to build 2000 units at Welsh Harp.
Although we recognise that as a result of successive government policy
in preventing the expansion of Council led social housing this has now
increased pressure for deals with developers in the private sector and
Registered Social Landlords to meet regional and local targets for
affordable home particularly for families.
However the submission made by Brent Council, local councillors,
residents associations, conservation and environmental campaigners have
put forward clear and strong grounds on the environmental and ecological
consequences why this proposed development should not go ahead.
I also suggested at the public meeting on Saturday 4th of May there
is another angle which the campaign can also peruse to potentially
either delay or force the Council to reconsider the planning application
by assessing the public health dimension of the development.
Under the Local Government Act 2000 local authorities have a power to
promote wellbeing for the economic, social and environmental aspects of
their local community. This is reflected in authorities in making an
explicit statement on wellbeing, training councillors and officers to
understand the wellbeing agenda with a clear community engagement plan.
The recent controversial Health and Social Care Act 2012 gives local
authorities the responsibility for the public health function from the
NHS, along with developing health strategies for the wellbeing of the
local population and leadership of the Health and Well Being Board.
Finally, The Localism Act 2011 gives a clear mandate for council to
devolve power, support the development of Neighbourhood Forums/Parish
Councils and be more transparent with the public regarding expenditure
and decision making processes. These statutory powers give a clear
obligation for all councils particularly Barnet to have plans and
strategies to promote and enhance the wellbeing of the local community.
The only way that Barnet Council and especially their Planning Committee
can make a proper assessment of the wellbeing of people in Barnet and
Brent is to undertake what is known as a Health Impact Assessment (HIA).
HIA is used a lot in the UK and internationally on policy decisions
and infrastructure projects in a variety of areas such as education,
employment, transport, green space, housing, and finance and welfare
impact on health. The HIA can identify potential or actual health
impacts of polices and thus using the results this can to minimise any
negative and maximise positive impacts or even defer a project.
Under
the leadership of the former Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone used HIA
to inform all major policies and regeneration projects in London such as
the Olympics and the introduction of the Congestion Charge. When I
worked for the NHS in Brent I lead two HIAs on Wembley Stadium
redevelopment and Central Middlesex Hospital.
The key essence of a HIA is to promote the maximum health of the
population. I believe that using the following principles and values we
can determine the potential impact of the Welsh Harp development:
Democracy, emphasising the right of people to
participate in a transparent process for the formulation, implementation
and evaluation of policies that affect their life, both directly and
through the elected political decision makers;
Equity, emphasising that HIA is not only interested
in the aggregate impact of the assessed policy on the health of a
population but also on the distribution of the impact within the
population, in terms of gender, age, ethnic background and
socio-economic status;
sustainable development, emphasizing that both short term and long term as well as more and less direct impacts are taken into consideration; and
Ethical use of evidence, emphasising that the use of
quantitative and qualitative evidence that has to be rigorous, and
based on different scientific data.
Over the last decade the health inequality gap is getting wider in
North London. For instance if you drive along the A5 from Kilburn to
Colindale life expectancy increases by about approximately 10 years.
However West Hendon according to the recent Barnet Joint Strategic Needs
Assessment (2011-2015) is an area of multiple deprivations with one of
the lower rates of life expectancy for men and women in Barnet. That is
why an HIA will be important for the Welsh Harp development.
It is difficult to speculate at this stage what would be the likely
health impact but similar studies and research indicate the potential
following impact that could apply to Welsh Harp:
- Increased sense of isolation and impact on mental wellbeing;
- Lack of sense of community and social capital;
- More road traffic accidents especially involving children;
- Limited support and intergenerational dialogue with young and older people;
- Greater pollution during the construction phase;
- Increased emission and noise levels;
- Increased health inequalities particularly respiratory diseases such as asthma and hay fever;
- Increased fuel poverty and limited financial inclusion;
- Increase wealth and income inequality with the creation of gated communities for more affluent residents;
- Community safety issues around perceived increased fear of crime and criminal damage during the construction phase.
I believed that Barnet Council in partnership with Brent Council
should develop a joint approach with the Directors of Public Health as
lead officers to undertake a detailed health impact assessment of Welsh
Harp plans using the above principles and involving key stakeholders
affected by the development.
I also urge Boris Johnson as Mayor who now has clear strategic powers
and responsibilities for public health in London to be committed to
ensure that his future plans for any major policy change or regeneration
project use HIA. I hope he will put pressure on Barnet Council or use
powers to ensure that he health and ecological impacts are carefully
considered.
We must put people before profits if we want a safe, healthy and
sustainable community in both Brent and Barnet. Let’s work together and
Save Our Welsh Harp for future generations of local people in North
London.
