Health focused conference eyes Sunderland as exemplar

A national conference exploring how the built environment can impact on health outcomes has been hosted at City Hall, a building recognised as an exemplar for wellbeing at work.

Riverside Sunderland was the location of choice for the Healthy Places conference, with representatives from the Office for Health Improvement & Disparities, Sport England and consultant David Lock Associates, leading the day-long event last week [Thursday, October 19]. 

Around 50 leading lights from a range of public and private sector organisations spent time exploring how planning, urban design and placemaking can contribute to improved health outcomes, as well as how to assess places from a health outcomes perspective.  The event included a tour of Riverside Sunderland, which is considered to be a best-practice example of regeneration that improves wellbeing. 

With more buildings under construction at Riverside Sunderland, including Maker & Faber - two Grade A offices designed with wellbeing in mind - a state of the art new Eye Hospital on the site, and the first housing scheme underway on the former Vaux site creating more than 130 sustainable homes, the conference was able to explore how the built environment - as well as enhanced public realm and active travel solutions - will shape our future neighbourhoods and deliver better health outcomes for those who live, work and play at Riverside Sunderland. 

Councillor Kevin Johnston, dynamic city cabinet member, said: "Riverside Sunderland is considered to be the UK's most ambitious urban regeneration project, and with that we are seeing more and more organisations looking to Sunderland to learn lessons on how to deliver truly transformational change. 

"We have a clear plan - to create a healthy, vibrant and dynamic smart city - and all parts of that plan interconnect. The vision is very clear and that's bearing fruit. Sunderland is firmly on the map and in the consciousness of senior leaders from across the UK who want to understand how to drive economic and social development."

The conference followed Sunderland's two-day Delivering Future Cities Expo Event on October 17 and 18 - attended by 150 UK leaders on each day - which focused on the successful delivery of place-based regeneration as well as how social and economic growth can be powered by meaningful collaboration between public and private sector partners. A series of events will be organised as part of the Expo Sunderland programme, taking place throughout 2024 and 2025, and focusing on the future of homes, living and cities.