Summary
This paper explores how a health impact assessment (HIA) process was used to forge closer links between health and urban design agendas in Manukau City.
The case study reveals many common interests among public health and urban designers/planners, and also reveals how a public health-oriented approach was able to engage people across a range of sectors, along with Maori stakeholders, to influence long-term planning for a city centre.
The HIA informed the design approach to the city centre and became a catalyst for greater integration of urban design, planning and health. The process was able to establish links between urban designers and the health and social sectors, which flowed into a subsequent and more expansive HIA process in neighbouring Wiri. These HIA processes laid an important foundation for further collaboration in the newly established Auckland Council, which spans the entire Auckland region.