How do we promote the health and well-being of our local communities over the next 20 years?

Provision of more doctors surgeries ,dentists and hospitals neede to provide for current population and future increases.

Paragraph 9.3: this paragraph mentions the need to encourage residents to take part in physical activity. It should be noted that horse riding is most often the exercise of choice for women and children, two groups who are most frequently targeted to increase their uptake of exercise. It therefore follows that by increasing the availability of off-road riding this will benefit residents' health and wellbeing. This paragraph states quite correctly that '...overall it is about ensuring the right conditions are in place to improve the health of communities through planning for an enabling the right type and quality of infrastructure to be put in place at the right time...'. It is important to note what the 'right type' of infrastructure is - and we feel that the 'right type' is that which is accessible to ALL user groups, including equestrians. This is supported by the NPPF as the following paragraph confirms, but if a Plan is to be found sound by an Inspector, then access for all user groups needs to be the norm.

9.44 'Public health is interwoven throughout the NPPF, including promoting sustainable travel, reducing congestion, improving air quality ... which combined seek to effectively plan for and deliver healthy and inclusive communities'.

Health and well-being is paramount to residents so how are the issues raised above, going to be solved in the near and not so near future?

9.8 Ensuring that there is adequate healthcare provision in the district, both now and in the future, was raised as an issue during the early community engagement programme in 2016. There is concern about access to local GP services, in particular the ability to be seen within a reasonable time period, as well as the response of the emergency services and the ability of the hospitals to cope with increasing numbers of patients and emergencies.
This remains a huge concern in 2018 and would become untenable if additional houses were built in Hullbridge.

9.5 Schemes looking to deliver 50 homes or more ...would need to undertake a Health Impact Assessment, and propose suitable mitigation measures.

Where are the results of the Hullbridge HIA and what mitigation measures have been proposed? What are the criteria on the HIA and what are the outcomes?

Sport England understands the need for housing provision for the next 20 years and would encourage the inclusion of a design policy which encourages developments to
be designed to promote active lifestyles through sport and physical activity such as walkable communities and connected footpath and cycle routes in accordance with the Essex Design Guide https://www.essexdesignguide.co.uk/ which has embedded and promotes the use of Sport England's and Public Health England's established Active Design guidance
(http://www.sportengland.org/facilities-planning/planning-for-sport/planning-tools-and-guidance/active-design/)