From evidence to impact: Delivering Healthy Urban Development

Schedule

Tue Sep 08 2026 at 09:30 am to 05:30 pm

UTC+01:00
Location

Royal College of Surgeons of England | London, EN

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Combining the latest research with planning and design practice to explore how to create healthier, more sustainable urban environments .
About this Event

Founded on a unique partnership between research and professional practice this event will bridge the gap between evidence and implementation, ensuring that health is not simply an aspiration but a measurable outcome of how places are planned, designed and delivered.

The Landscape Institute in partnership with Healthy Urban Places research consortium and Born in Bradford will bring together the professionals responsible for planning, designing and managing the places where people live with world-leading research to explore how evidence can influence investment decisions, strengthen policy, inform design, support delivery and demonstrate impact.


Knowledge and Insights

During the event you will discover:

  • How the urban planning of our neighbourhoods can shape the health of our communities.
  • The latest case studies for the future of housing and wellbeing in our cities.
  • How can we plan our cityscapes and transport infrastructure to promote active travel options in the community. Better urban mobility and people leading more active lifestyles has a profound health benefit.

Who should attend

Whether you influence policy, commission projects, design places, deliver regeneration or undertake research, this conference will provide the knowledge, connections and practical tools to help turn evidence into action and make healthier places the default, not the exception.

This event is for all who inform or influence urban planning policy, decisions and practice, including local government representatives, policy makers, think-tanks, researchers and consultants.

It’s also for urban planning professionals from the public and private sectors, such as landscape architects and designers, members of the Landscape Institute, and those from aligned professions such as planning.

Health professionals and researchers with an interest in strengthening partnerships with project design, delivery and evaluation.


Speakers

Dr Saira Ali, President of the Landscape Institute and Team Leader of Landscape Design and Conservation at Bradford Council. An award-winning landscape architect recognised nationally for leading ambitious, landscape-led regeneration that demonstrates how investment in nature and public space can improve health, tackle inequalities, strengthen climate resilience and drive economic growth

Professor Rosie McEachan, Director of Born in Bradford. Director of the internationally acclaimed Born in Bradford research programme and the Population Health Improvement UK Healthy Urban Places consortium. Her research has helped to uncover the complex ways in which urban and natural environments impact the health of parents and children.

Professor Kevin Fenton CBE FFPH PhD, Regional Director for Public Health. One of the UK’s most influential public health leaders, whose career has been defined by a singular commitment to improving health, advancing equity, and strengthening systems that serve the most vulnerable in society.

​​Roisha Hughes CBE, Trustee the National Heritage Lottery Fund. Lead Trustee for Grant in Aid and Non-Lottery at The National Lottery Heritage Fund. An experienced leader, who has worked at the heart of public services in London and in national Government. She is now Chief Executive of the John Whitgift Foundation.​

Peter Swift, CEO and Co-Founder of Planit. A Landscape Architect and Urban Designer, passionate about place, planet, and people. Proud co-founder of Manchester’s Cyan Lines project alongside Urban Splash's Tom Bloxham CBE, with a vision to create 100 miles of nature in the city by 2050.

Professor Ruth Hunter Professor of Public Health and Planetary Health at Queen’s University Belfast. Specialist in urban green and blue space and their role in climate adaptation. Her work explores how healthier environments can reduce inequalities, strengthen resilience to climate impacts, and support sustainable, population-wide improvements in wellbeing.

Professor Jenna Panter, Research Professor at University of Cambridge. Co-leads the Population Health Interventions group and research focuses on evaluating environmental and policy interventions, examining patterns and determinants of change in physical activity, and evidence synthesis.

Professor John Wright BSc, MB ChB, MPH, FFPHM, FRCP, Director of Research at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Doctor and epidemiologist with a background in hospital medicine and public health in the UK and in Africa. He established and leads the Bradford Institute for Health Research and Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research.

Andrew Grant RDI, Hon DLit, Hon FRIBA, CMLI, FRSA Founder and Director of Grant Associates. A strong focus on creative ecology he led the designs for Gardens by the Bay in Singapore and many other international and UK award winning projects. He is Chair of the Bathscape Landscape Partnership and co founder of Forest of Imagination.

James Scott, group Director of Strategy and Planning at Urban & Civic. James is the Group Director of Strategy and Planning and a founder member of master developer Urban&Civic. Specialised in planning and environmental law at Dechert LLP and is also a senior advisor to Dorrington PLC and a non-executive of Natural England.

Sophie Thompson BSc (Joint Hons), PDip LA, FLI Board Director LDA Design. Author of the forthcoming title, Wilding the City - Designing for People, Biodiversity and Climate Resilience. She leads some of the UK’s most ambitious and high-profile public space projects, including a new piazza near St Paul’s Cathedral and 4km of seafront at Southsea.

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Where is it happening?

Royal College of Surgeons of England, 38-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, United Kingdom

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Tickets

GBP 0.00 to GBP 170.00

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