Building physical activity into urban planning and design

Healthy Active by Design

This web resource provides a 21st Century approach to healthy urban design and includes practical checklists, case studies, high-quality examples of projects from around the world with links to the evidence.

What Australia Wants (2020)

The Heart Foundation asked 2,895 Australians what matters most to them in making neighbourhoods desirable, liveable and healthy. The findings are presented in our report What Australia Wants: Living locally in walkable neighbourhoods.

Active Streets – the new normal for public space (2020) 

Streets play an important role in public life, beyond the movement of traffic. The Heart Foundation is calling on local government to ensure all Australians have safe streets for walking and cycling. Never has the diverse function of streets been more apparent as during the time of COVID-19.

Community Walkability Checklist (2020)

The Community Walkability Checklist is designed to help individuals and groups to survey their local walking environment.

Active Travel to School - Urban Design Study (NSW) (2019)

The Heart Foundation is working to make it easier for children to walk, cycle, and scoot safely to school. This study explores opportunities for cost-effective upgrades in active travel networks within the walking catchment of a school.

Quality Green Space Supporting Health, Wellbeing and Biodiversity: A Literature Review (SA) (2017)

This literature review emphasises the important role of city planning to incorporate quality green spaces to support health benefits.

Evidence review: Low density development, 2014

Impacts on physical activity and associated health outcomes.

Does density matter? The role of density in creating walkable neighbourhoods (2014)

Does Density Matter is a discussion paper for residents, professionals and experts involved in planning and developing neighbourhoods. It highlights that well designed and located, higher density neighbourhoods are desirable and add value to our communities.

Maximising the health benefits and minimising harm.

Good for business - discussion paper (2011)

Discusses the benefits of making streets more walking and cycling friendly.

Blueprint for an Active Australia (3^rd edition) 2019

Government and community actions to increase population levels of physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour in Australia.

The Built Environment and Walking (2009)

This document outlines the Heart Foundation’s position on how the built environment influences walking by explaining the rationale, evidence and recommendations.